River Phoenix Center For Peace Building Inc

THE MISSION OF RPCP IS TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING AND PROMOTING THE BEST PRACTICES AND PRINCIPLES OF PEACEBUILDING AND GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY.

SECOND ACCOMPLISHMENT - TRAINING AND EDUCATIONRPCP HAS DEVELOPED A VIBRANT RESTORATIVE PRACTICES CURRICULUM FOR SCHOOLS WHICH INCLUDES ALL ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATORS, STAFF AND STUDENTS. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY TRAINED AND CONTINUE TO MENTOR FOUR DIFFERENT LOCAL SCHOOLS WITH A VARIETY OF EDUCATORS COMING TO OUR TRAINING FROM OTHER SCHOOLS. THE PURPOSE IS TO CREATE A HEALTHY SCHOOL COMMUNITY BY OFFERING A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH ALL YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS ACQUIRE AND APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ATTITUDES TO DEVELOP HEALTHY IDENTITIES, MANAGE EMOTIONS AND ACHIEVE PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE GOALS, FEEL AND SHOW EMPATHY FOR OTHERS, ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS, AND MAKE RESPONSIBLE AND CARING DECISIONS. INCLUDED IN THIS IS THE USE OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CIRCLES TO ADDRESS DISCIPLINARY ACTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PUNITIVE THROUGH DIALOGUE, TRAUMA RESPONSE, AND A VARIETY OF DE-ESCALATION TOOLS. INCLUDED ARE STUDENT/EDUCATOR DIALOGUES THAT BRING UNDERSTANDING, COMPASSION, AND EMPATHY.RPCP IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS PROGRAM, A PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST COMMUNITY LEADERS WORLDWIDE. THEIR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE PROVIDES AN INTEGRATED LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM AND INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING TO FELLOWS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THROUGHOUT THE FELLOWSHIP. FELLOWS RETURN HOME TO APPLY THEIR NEW SKILLS THROUGH A COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT. EACH YEAR, RPCP HAS RECEIVED UP TO TWO FELLOWS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD FOR FOUR MONTHS TO SHARE THEIR WORK AND LEARN OUR APPROACH TO PEACEBUILDING AND EXCHANGE IDEAS. THE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE WITH FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND SUPPORTED IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION BY IREX (INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH & EXCHANGE BOARD). THROUGH MINI-GRANTS AWARDED TO RPCP THROUGH IREX, WE HAVE TRAVELED TO THE PHILIPPINES, UKRAINE, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND UGANDA IN ORDER TO SHARE OUR COMPREHENSIVE MODEL OF PEACEBUILDING.

FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT - PEACEBUILDING PROGRAMSRPCP FACILITATES POLICE-YOUTH DIALOGUES BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH TO ASSIST IN DE-ESCALATING CONFLICTS, UNDERSTANDING TRAUMA, BREAKING DOWN STEREOTYPES, CREATING HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS, AND HUMANIZING ONE ANOTHER. OUR PARTNERS INCLUDE THE GAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALACHUA COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT, THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SANTA FE COLLEGE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SINCE 2012, RPCP HAS FACILITATED OVER 130 POLICE YOUTH DIALOGUES WITH OVER 3000 PARTICIPANTS IN GAINESVILLE, PORT ST. LUCIE, TALLAHASSEE, THE PHILIPPINES AND UKRAINE. RPCP ALSO TEACHES SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS TO YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT SCHOOLS THROUGH THE KJ COMMUNICATION AND SELF ESTEEM PROGRAM OR 360 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THE CURRICULUM TEACHES YOUTH TO DEVELOP SELF-AWARENESS, RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, SOCIAL AWARENESS, AND SELF-MANAGEMENT. THESE COMPETENCIES HELP YOUTH IDENTIFY AND COMMUNICATE THEIR EMOTIONS, EMBRACE CONFLICT AS CONSTRUCTIVE, RATHER THAN DESTRUCTIVE, DEVELOP EMPATHY FOR OTHERS AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEMSELVES AND OTHERS IN HEALTHY WAYS. RPCP RECEIVES REFERRALS FROM THE STATE ATTORNEYS OFFICE, SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CIRCLES, A PROCESS THAT BRINGS PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE HARM AND THOSE IMPACTED BY THE HARM WITH SUPPORTERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CONFLICT OR CRIME WAS, WHO WAS IMPACTED, HOW TO REPAIR IT AND HOW TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. EVERYONE INVOLVED GETS TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD AND ARE INVITED TO CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPING AN AGREEMENT OF HOW TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. GENERALLY, IF THE AGREEMENT IS FULFILLED, THE CASE OR ANY OTHER PUNITIVE SANCTIONS ARE DISMISSED. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE MOVES US FROM A PUNISHMENT MODEL TO A RESTORATIVE MODEL THAT INCLUDES ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPECT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IT IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE AND PHILOSOPHY.

THIRD ACCOMPLISHMENT - OUTREACH RPCPS WORK IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF ITS PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. RPCP IS ACTIVE WITH MANY COMMUNITY GROUPS, INCLUDING STUDENTS TO SUCCESSFUL CITIZENS, PEACE4GAINESVILLE, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE COUNCIL, THE BLACK ON BLACK CRIME TASKFORCE, COMMUNITY TRUST OF ALACHUA COUNTY, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE CHAMBER OF CONGRESS. THESE MEETINGS ALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO GIVE UPDATES ABOUT THEIR ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE ON INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS. RPCP HAS JUST OPENED THE CONFLICT SOLUTION HUB WHICH WILL PROVIDE AFFORDABLE EFFECTIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. OUR SERVICES AIM TO EMPOWER COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO CREATE DEEPER CONNECTIONS, COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY, REPAIR HARM, AND COLLABORATE TOWARD POSITIVE SOLUTIONS. MORE BROADLY, THESE SERVICES ARE INTENDED TO NOT ONLY POSITIVELY IMPACT THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED BUT ALSO ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CULTIVATION OF A MORE PEACEFUL, SAFE, JUST, AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY.BECAUSE OF OUR OUTREACH, WE ARE CALLED UPON BY SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TO OFFER CONFLICT-RESOLUTION, FACILITATION AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SKILLS TO THEIR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.PEACE4GAINESVILLE WAS CO-FOUNDED BY RPCP IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE, COORDINATE AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON RESPONDING TO THE IMPACT OF ACES (ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES) AND OTHER TRAUMAS ON THE LIVES OF ITS CITIZENS AND IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING SERVICES THAT RESPOND TO CITIZENS NEEDS ARE RESPECTED AND PROVIDED IN A CARING WAY THAT BUILDS RESILIENCE. FROM EDUCATION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE PARADIGM SHIFTS FROM ASKING WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? TO WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? THE CONVERSATION BECOMES MORE ABOUT HELPING THE PERSON OVERCOME ADVERSITY RATHER THAN BLAMING THEM FOR THE IMPACT EXPERIENCES.THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND A BOARD MEMBER CO-AUTHORED A BOOK CALLED THE LITTLE BOOK OF POLICE YOUTH DIALOGUE: A RESTORATIVE PATHWAY TO JUSTICE.