Resolving Conflict Peacefully
42 Years of Giving Youth More Than A Fighting Chance
It all started In 1982 when Peace Education Program taught conflict resolution in one classroom, in one school. Today we have a network of 88 schools in Jefferson County where mediation and/or conflict resolution is practiced every day. Today we impact 20,000 youths annually.
In 1999 Peace Ed introduced whole school conflict resolution and peer mediation to our first middle school. Today, those programs have helped students at 88 schools resolve their and their fellow students’ conflicts peacefully.
In 1994, we began a partnership with a middle school with high levels of violence – students were “body slamming” each other in the hallways. Today, youth mediators conduct 200 mediations for their peers annually. The commitment of the adult coordinator and the skills taught to youth combine to create a culture of peace in a sea of violence.
In 1992, we formed “Youth for Peace” – a youth program for teen leaders committed to reducing prejudice. Today, “Youth for Peace” graduates are leaders in conflict resolution community development, education, and fundraising in Metro Louisville and beyond.
In 1995, Louisville’s youth homicide rate was one of the highest in the nation. Peace Education joined a coalition to stop the violence. We trained 400 gang involved youth and their friends to be mediators in seven Housing Authority sites. Today there are sixty-seven community sites where young people can solve their problems nonviolently.
