Meta/Michigan Peace Team 201 W. Miller Rd.; Lansing, MI 48911 ph: (517) 489-2607 email: [email protected] Web site: http://www.metapeaceteam.org Description of Our Basic Nonviolence Skills Training Workshop Empowerment in Nonviolent Peacemaking Meta Peace Team's "Step One/Basic Nonviolence Skills & Violence De-escalation" consists of an 8-hour training day, and includes a simple breakfast and vegetarian lunch. We try to have a minimum of 10/maximum of 30 participants per training, as we've found that this size group best facilitates both role- playing and 1-on-1 conversations. The standard fee for the workshop is $45 (sliding scale) and includes meals, resources, and manuals. No one will be excluded from a workshop because of an inability to pay, as our mission is to train all that have interest. Please contact us if the fees should present a problem. All participants should plan to make the entire scheduled training session so that we successfully build continuity and community. (In other words, please arrive on time and plan on staying for the full training). General Goals of this Step 1 Training: Learn about and practice skills for nonviolent peacemaking and violence de-escalation; Experience the transforming power of nonviolence for oneself and society; Learn of local and international violence reduction peacemaking efforts and opportunities for volunteering on projects; Experience working as a team. Major components of the Basic Training: Stories of empowerment, from one-on-one conflict situations to small and large peace teams, in domestic situations (such as dealing with neighborhood gangs, hate groups, etc.) and international sites (West Bank, US/Mexico border, etc.); The theoretical and spiritual (the interconnectedness of all beings and the earth) basis of nonviolence; Understanding the roots of violence; Theory and practice of communication skills: Active Listening, “I” messages; and the CLARA technique Experience of working as teams; Theory and practice of consensus decision making; Theory of public witnessing and direct action; Mechanisms for social change; Cultural and racial sensitivity; Skills for deescalating potentially-violent situations; Practice through role plays, quick decision exercises, hassle lines; Moving forward: Where do we go from here? All participants receive: 1. The MPT Nonviolence Training Manual 2. The booklet Steps Toward Inner Peace. 3. Supplementary materials for skills building As part of the training, host sites provide a light continental breakfast, beverages (coffee/tea/water) throughout the day, and a simple (vegetarian if possible) lunch for the training participants. Meta Peace Team also offers Advanced Skills Training (Step 2) as well as International Peace Team Training. Please contact us if you would like more information about these courses. f you are interested in either joining or hosting a nonviolence skills training, please contact Mary Hanna at Meta Peace Team via email I ([email protected]) or phone us at: 517-489-2607. .