The Young Peacebuilders Guide To Tackling Harmful Narratives

The Young Peacebuilders’ Guide to Tackling Harmful Narratives entails a concrete step-by-step methodology and tools to support young peacebuilders in their fight against harmful narratives, as well as four concrete alternative narrative campaigns that were developed by United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY) members.

Rather than creating the umpteenth resource that sheds light on the issue of harmful narratives, this by-youth-for-youth guide is a collaborative document that encapsulates the work and input of 11 UNOY members who took part in UNOY Peacebuilders’ capacity development programme—Youth Promoting Peaceful and Cohesive Societies in Europe—held between April and June 2022, as well as the insights of experts in disinformation and media development at large.

Digital Pathways for Peace

As peacebuilders place increasing importance on the use of digital technologies to sustain peacebuilding work in this midst of the Covid‑19 pandemic, Peace Direct convened a three‐day online consultation with over 75 practitioners and academics across the globe to share insights and knowledge on how to capitalise on the opportunities for peace that digital technologies provide.

The 56-page report is the latest in Peace Direct’s series of “Local Voices for Peace” reports. “Digital Pathways for Peace: Insights and lessons from a global online consultation” shares perspectives from local peacebuilders on the benefits and challenges of using technology to build peace, and offers recommendations for policymakers, donors and civil society to harness the capabilities digital technologies offer.

Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning School Posters

The Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) materials from the UK Primary National Strategies curriculum provide seven posters for use across the school. They are available for download as pdfs (see attachments in site sidebar). The topics include the following:

Feelings detective & understanding my feelings and understanding the feelings of others. These two posters support children when trying to recognise their own feelings and the feelings of others.

Assertiveness
This poster uses the ideas covered in the theme sets and provides a reminder about how we might behave assertively rather than timidly, aggressively or manipulatively.

Problem solving
This poster outlines a problem-solving process that might be used in social or learning situations.

Peaceful problem solving
This poster provides a reminder of the SEAL approach to resolving conflicts within the school.

Circle time
This poster is an aid to those who use circle time and provides useful reminders for children to ensure the sessions are positive and productive.

The Fight
This is a copy of The Fight by L. S. Lowry. It is used as a stimulus for work in Say no to bullying

Let’s Resolve Conflicts Together: Middle School Classroom Activities

A 30-page guide filled with suggested activities designed to be used during Conflict Management Week (May 1-7, 2000) in Ohio Middle Schools. In the middle school classroom, making use of themes of conflict can invigorate subject areas across the curriculum. This activity booklet/guide offers ideas for improving the overall climate of the school and for learning how to resolve conflicts in the classroom. The guide first presents ideas for drawing attention to issues of conflict and peace. It then provides activities for helping students become aware of underlying causes of conflict. The guide cites the six steps to conflict resolution and states that, in addition to learning steps of a conflict management process, teachers may also work with students to enhance communication skills used in conflict management. According to the guide, these skills include understanding blocks to communication, using “I” statements, and improving listening skills–resources to teach these skills are included in the guide. The guide is divided into four broad sections: School-Wide Activities; Learning about Conflict; Communication Activities; and Conflict Management across the Curriculum.

Let’s Resolve Conflicts Together: Elementary School Classroom Activities

A 30-page guide filled with suggested activities designed to be used during Conflict Management Week (May 1-7, 2000) in Ohio Elementary Schools. This activity booklet/guide first offers ideas for how schools can engage in school-wide activities. The guide then describes a process for improving the overall climate of the school through the use of the classroom meetings. Six steps to conflict resolution are offered in the guide, as well as activities for helping students become aware of underlying causes of conflict. According to the guide, in addition to learning steps of a conflict management process, teachers may also work with students to enhance the communication skills used in conflict management; these include understanding blocks to communication, being aware of nonverbal communication, using “I” statements, and using active listening skills. The guide is divided into four broad sections: School-Wide Activities; Learning about Conflict; Communication Activities; and Conflict Management across the Curriculum.

Facilitation Guide for Restorative Justice Community Accountability Panel Members

This manual is designed to assist a Trainer in conducting sessions for the purpose of teaching facilitation skills to members of Restorative Justice Community Accountability Panels, or other models of Restorative Justice.

It was prepared by using taped transcripts of Training Sessions held for Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Diversion Association, presented by Wendy Burton, professor at the University College of the Fraser Valley. Content has been edited. The information contained in this manual covers the basics of communication and facilitation skills.

The manual contains three parts: a participant guide, a trainer’s guide, and a collection of handouts and exercises.

Peaceful Conflict Resolution Guide for Primary and Secondary Schools (Croatia)

This training guide for schools consists of three primary modules:
1. damiri/ice – Conflict and Communication
2. spajalice – Peer Mediation
3. kazimiri/ice – Peer Education

The guide is the result of the work on the project Peaceful Problem Solving in Schools and Trauma Alleviation, Youth for Youth – Peer Mediation, initiated and supported by UNICEF Office for Croatia in co-operation with Croatian Ministry of Education and Sports. The Project was carried out by NGO “Mali korak” – Centre for Culture of Peace and Non-violence Zagreb.

In the school year of 1999/2000 it was implemented in 52 primary schools, most of which were schools of special social care in previous war affected areas. The purpose of this program model was to change attitudes, behaviors and experiences related to conflict and violence: improve coping with problem and conflict situations, develop awareness of prejudice, of one’s own rights as well as the rights of others both in those who participate in the program (students) and those who deliver it (teachers).

Cooperative Problem-Solving : A Guide to Turning Conflicts into Agreements

This 56-page pdf is a guide designed for people who want to know how to resolve conflicts with other people in a way that leads to mutual agreements and stronger relationships. It was developed as a workbook for a workshop of the same title, but it can be used independently.

Based on the book Getting to Yes, the Guide addresses:
– Treating conflict as a natural resource
– How to attack problems while respecting people
– Raising an issue in a constructive manner
– Exploring opposing positions to discover shared interests
– Generating options to address all parties’ needs
– Crafting clear and healthy solutions
– Dealing with differing perceptions
– Managing emotions
– Insuring two-way communications
– Choosing when to use a cooperative approach
– Being a peacemaker while resolving conflicts

Leading a Workshop on Conflict Management for Teaching Assistants

Article Abstract: The aim of this article is to share a conflict management workshop that the authors developed to train teaching assistants to proactively manage conflict, achieve productive results for conflict, and establish a climate of trust in which relationships beneficial to learning can flourish. The article begins by defining an approach to conflict management and explaining the rationale behind the workshop. A detailed plan of the workshop is then presented. Finally, results are reported of a “before the workshop” and “after the workshop” survey from two recent groups of workshop participants that shows improved perceived ability to deal effectively with conflict.

Coaching Children in Handling Everyday Conflicts

This newsletter article from the Responsive Classroom provides an example of a teacher assisting two second grade students as they work to resolve a conflict in the moment. Five basic skills are focused on to help build children’s capacity for conflict resolution. These include:
– Cooling off when upset
– Speaking directly to each other
– Speaking assertively, honestly, and kindly
– Listening carefully to others and accurately paraphrasing their words
– Proposing solutions and agreeing on a solution to try

The author explains the importance of using the teachable moment: “Beginning with the first days of the school year, students have predictable conflicts about sharing materials, choosing work partners, or deciding whom to play with. These are times when you can teach the basic skills by guiding the children in navigating a difficult interpersonal moment. You’ll send a strong message about how disagreements will be handled in your class. You’ll also give children opportunities to experience themselves as problem-solvers in situations that really matter to them.”

The Zone – Online Conflict Learning Module for Youth by Aik Saath

An interactive online learning module focusing on conflict and conflict resolution for young people of diverse backgrounds. Topics include the roots, the conflict, the effects and the resolution. Illustrated with animated storyboards and roll-over graphics.

Ten Lessons for Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills

A teaching packet provided by the Fairfax County Public Schools and the Student Safety and Wellness Office consisting of 10 lessons designed to help students learn conflict resolution skills. Each activity takes about an hour to complete and is designed to be interactive. As the authors note: “These skills are important for many reasons. Not only are they essential life skills, but they also help each individual acquire and maintain relationships, help make and maintain cohesive families, and increase the probability of attaining a job through communication and collaboration skills. These are pro-social skills which, in turn, increase student achievement levels and improve student resiliency.”
Topics covered include the following.
Lesson One: Introduction to Conflict and Types of Conflict
Lesson Two: Conflict Styles and Outcomes
Lesson Three: Different Points of View, Identifying Biases and Perspectives, Prejudice Awareness
Lesson Four: Steps for Solving Your Interpersonal Conflicts
Lesson Five: Nonverbal Communication Skills
Lesson Six: Communication
Lesson Seven: Effective Questioning Techniques
Lesson Eight: How to Handle Difficult Conversations
Lesson Nine: Problem Solving and Decision Making
Lesson Ten: Building Relationships, Developing a Win-Win Outcome Through Communication and Collaboration

Cycles of harmony: Action research into the effects of drama on conflict management in schools

13-page PDF paper which, “describes the first five years of an ongoing action research project (1996-2000) investigating the possibilities of using a combination of drama techniques and peer teaching on a whole-school basis to help school students explore the causes of conflict, and develop strategies for conflict prevention and mediation … A number of principles relating both to conflict management and to drama, together with a tentative pedagogy for using dramatic strategies and techniques have emerged. These are elucidated, and the project and some of its provisional findings are described.”

Non-Violent Conflict Management: Conflict Resolution, Dealing with Anger, Negotiation and Mediation

This 95-page pdf training guide is designed to support the development of conflict resolution skills for people involved in social work activities. “This module teaches conflict management through a combination of skill-building and philosophical discussion to enable participants to become invested in the idea that non-violent conflict management is better, more effective, and more efficacious in the long run than either conflict avoidance, or an aggressive approach that produces ‘winners’ and ‘losers.’ The material can be presented in training sessions of varying lengths from one class to an entire semester. The author recommends separating the three modules over time to allow time for integration of skills.”