Experiential Activities to Create a Climate of Peace, Non-Violence, and Restorative Practices

This activity guide contains thirty-five lessons with over sixty activities designed to introduce youth participants to a set of tools, strategies, and discussions to unpack conflict and re-imagine what a peaceful community looks like. Research shows that young people need to develop the skills of productivity, connectivity, and navigation on their pathway to healthy, productive adulthood. We offer a three-fold approach to transforming conflict. Prevention: Building the social and...
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This activity guide contains thirty-five lessons with over sixty activities designed to introduce youth participants to a set of tools, strategies, and discussions to unpack conflict and re-imagine what a peaceful community looks like. Research shows that young people need to develop the skills of productivity, connectivity, and navigation on their pathway to healthy, productive adulthood. We offer a three-fold approach to transforming conflict. Prevention: Building the social and emotional capacity of youth to identify emotions, master their thoughts, and see the complexity of perceptions in any situation. Restoration. Developing rituals and practices to maintain connections and relationships with others during and after conflict. Intervention: Learning skills to address conflict when it arises, and embrace it as an opportunity to learn about oneself, peers, and seek win-win solutions. The thought-provoking activities in this curriculum will develop the skills needed to create connections between mind and body, express feelings, and practice nonviolent communication skills. As you integrate these skills with ongoing practices you will be able to transform conflict from destructive to constructive, making the possibility of peace a reality. The activities in this guide are designated by seven themes: The Ripple Effect: Connecting thoughts to actions and consequences You Are What You Think: Finding Voice and Choice in Conflict Talking Positive: Learning the skills of powerful communication, self-expression, and deep listening Imagine It Another Way: Understanding the complexity of a problem from multiple perspectives Restorative Practices: Shifting the conflict resolution paradigm from blame, shame, and consequence to justice and the restoration of relationships The Resolution Toolbox: Learning processes to find the opportunity for creative learning and growth in a clash Circle Talks: A series of five restorative circle processes to establish a ritual and routine to support participants to process, share, co-create, learn, and heal from conflict Each theme consists of five lessons based on the youth development framework. Each lesson is designed to move across a developmental arc, building group safety, inter-group relationships, engaging youth participation, increased skill building, and finally a culminating event to involve the whole community.