Truce 2012 Concept Note

Truce 2012

Truce 2012 is an ambitious and visionary programme for East London linked to the 2012 Olympics. Building on the idea of the Olympic Truce, it aims to:

· Transform the image of peacebuilding, as cool, young etc. also by linking it with athletic qualities such as self control and endurance, preparation and training and learning from peace activists from ‘hot’ conflict areas

· Build skills in conflict resolution among young people and young “community leaders” from all sections of the community so that they can actively contribute to their environment.

· Foster channels of communications for institutions to become more inclusive and effective at identifying early signs of conflict and taking rapid action.

The aim of Truce 2012 is not simply to create ‘truce’ conditions in London for the 2012 Olympics, but to leave a lasting legacy of social capital that will benefit people in East London. It incorporates learning about what makes for effective civil society peacebuilding from Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP), CDA. One of the key lessons of RPP is the need to connect grassroots activity with the sources of power.

Truce 2012 brings together the skills of:

· Newham Conflict and Change, with a 20 year history of conflict resolution within and between the different ethnic groups (including the local population) in Newham

· LEAP, the UK leader in training young people in conflict resolution skills

· Peace Direct, an international organisation committed to supporting grass roots peacebuilding in conflict areas and bringing learning from it to the UK.

In addition Truce 2012 is supported by a growing group of creative ambassadors, including Ted Giffords, photographer, and Gill Hicks, survivor of the 7/7 bombings, and is developing a partnership with Right to Play, who have privileged access to Olympic athletes past and present, and an interest in using sport as a vehicle for peacebuilding in conflict areas.

Rationale

Newham, where the programme will begin, is at a critical moment. Without action there is a danger that conflict will escalate, within and between different ethnic groups and generations. The Olympics are both an opportunity and challenge for the area. While offering an opportunity for regeneration the way it is perceived happening is also a source of resentment among many local communities.

For the next 15 years the north west corner of Newham will be the site of one of the largest developments in the UK, if not in Europe. The effects of all this are impossible to quantify, but may include:

· opportunities for different communities, and especially young people, to work together in the spirit of the Olympic Games; for instance some 2,000 people have already enrolled as Newham Volunteers;

· the danger that parts of Newham in 2012 may look like a military encampment, with rising community tensions and the threat of terrorism, not helped by the coincidence of the Olympics with the month of Ramadan (21 July to 20 August);

· an increasing proportion of well-paid professional (“City”) jobs in Newham, and a corresponding boost to Newham’s economy as high-earners increasingly choose to live and to spend their earnings in the area;

· a risk that the community will be split between the nouveau riche working in offices in Stratford City, and the older poorer communities based in the rest of the borough, as has happened with Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs.

Truce 2012 aims to strengthen Newham’s ability to build connections between different constituencies, particularly among young people, in order to maximise opportunities for all.The prestige of the athletes involved in the Olympics and the resources focused on East London provide an opportunity to work towards generating a lasting legacy also from a “social” perspective.

How will it work?

We envisage that the project will expand over the six year period to embed skills at different levels in an increasingly wide range of communities within Newham and beyond. The ladder of skills could be:

· Advanced conflict transformation skills eg for overseas election monitoring

· Leadership skills for local conflict transformation

· Applying conflict skills in authority positions eg peer mediation, magistracy

· Structured conflict transformation skills

· Informal conflict transformation skills

In parallel the project will build links with local institutions to enable them both to respond to the needs of young people in different communities more effectively, and make use of the skills that are being developed for the benefit of the community.

The project will begin with a pilot phase, with the intention of expanding beyond Newham to other parts of East London, other parts of the UK, and possibly, through a ripple effect, to other countries (see below.)

The project will be guided by an emergent approach, whereby we will be sensitive to arising opportunities and changes of contexts.

The Pilot

The first phase will consist of a pilot conflict resolution and leadership course with a mixed community of 20 young people drawn from across the borough. The programme will be based on LEAP’s established Quarrel Shop model (see Annex), with 13 weekly 2 hr sessions, culminating in a residential weekend. Early in the programme there will be a meeting with Gill Hicks, to explore the consequences of violence and the importance of striving for mutual understanding.

At the end of the programme there will be a contribution from peace activists from an area of ‘hot’ conflict relevant to the group of young people. The purpose of this is to reinforce what has been learned by showing how similar values and approaches can be used to resolve violent conflicts. Depending on the communities involved, there may be opportunities for the overseas peace activists to undertake other work within Newham for example on exploring inter-generational conflict.

The overseas activists will also contribute to the final showcase at the end of the programme. This is aimed at encouraging organisations to reflect on conflict within or around their organisations and take an imaginative view of how they can make use of the conflict resolution skills developed during the course. Peace Direct has been successful in getting pro bono marketing and communications support, for example from the Virgin Group and we aim to attract pro bono branding and communications support for this programme. The launch will also incorporate a photographic exhibition of portraits of ‘everyday peacebuilders’ across London, by Ted Giffords, and possibly the first phase of a young people’s mobile phone photography project, on the theme ‘I feel at peace when…’

There will be follow up opportunities for those young people who want to put their newly developed skills to use or develop them further. Opportunities could include mentoring, developing skills as trainers within LEAP or as youth workers, becoming involved in the governance of local organisations eg as school governors, magistrates, as well as the development of advanced skills in conflict resolution at college, university or through short vocationally oriented courses run by organisations such as Peaceworkers UK/International Alert. Some of the young participants will also be involved in the design and delivery of future programmes.

An important part of the pilot phase will be to involve the participants in discussion with Right to Play about how best to integrate the contribution of potential current and past Olympic athletes into the programme. The pilot phase also aims to test the following:

· How can the three partners work together most effectively?

· Can young people be recruited onto this programme and retained for its duration?

· What impact does the programme have on them, and through them on the local community?

· What is the added value of the international component?

· Can the programme provide a platform for starting to talk about improvements to statutory sector institutions?

Beyond the pilot

During the pilot phase the three partner organisations will be exploring opportunities to work with other organisations. In particular:

· Local youth work and volunteering organisations in Newham, as well as the local authority.

· Other organisations which have an interest in the linkages between sport and conflict resolution eg Fight for Peace, in order to build a broader partnership for the main phase of the programme.

They will also be working with the overseas peace activists to discuss how a similar concept could be taken back with them to their own country, and what resources would be needed to develop this. This ‘ripple effect’ has potentially big implications which will be explored during the pilot phase. Right to Play has an interest in developing sports led approaches to conflict resolution for young people, particularly in low income conflict affected countries.

Over the following five years, the programme will develop organically, using the skills of the young people, and:

· building links with other complementary initiatives in Newham and elsewhere

· influencing institutions to become more aware of potential conflict and better able to deal with it, in particular trying to ensure that ‘soft policing’ and community intelligence predominate in the security strategy for the Olympics rather than overwhelming presence of force

· working with more young people from more communities

· building a ladder of skills and experiences which will lead, for example, to the Peaceworkers course which equips people to work overseas as eg election monitors, as well as to youth work qualifications

· introducing athletes as role models and coaches

· gaining media coverage for peacebuilding work in the UK and overseas, including from countries such as, Sri Lanka, Somali, Afghanistan associated with conflict and terrorism

· developing positive branding for Truce 2012 both among young people and the community at large.

Evaluation and monitoring

Evaluating the effectiveness of prevention is never straightforward. The pilot will engage expert evaluators, for example Partners in Evaluation or University of East London. The pilot phase aims to test the following:

· Can the three organisations work together effectively?

· Can we secure Newham Council’s interest in the programme?

· Can we retain young people through the training?

· What is the added value of bringing in youth trainers from conflict areas?

as well as testing the approach to evaluating the impact of Truce 2012.

The techniques used will include:

• self-assessment by participants and young people (for example Do young people feel more secure in their surroundings?)
• A baseline of quantitative and qualitative information, to be reassessed at end of the project, by talking to agencies, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, police, housing wardens, residents, community leaders etc… The surveys would help to identify conflict hotspots and eg of indicators could be: less complaints, more young people contributing
• feedback from community associations
• feedback from people in areas most affected by conflict

Budget

The budget for the first year, which includes two courses and the cost of a full time project manager, is £90,000. Second stage applications are being considered by Tudor Trust and Bridge House Estates for this period. Future sources of income include Glimmer of Hope, the Jack Petchey Foundation, the Legacy Trust UK Consortium, as well as corporate sponsorship.

Over the six year period 2007 – 2012, Truce 2012 will cost £600,000 to train 40 young people each year, engage with local organisations including the London Olympic Organising Committee, Newham Borough Council and the Metropolitan Police, and ensure young people maximise their opportunities to put their leadership skills to use.

A contribution of £250,000 would enable Truce 2012 to plan ahead, maintain momentum and maximise the value of the partnerships it is developing.

Quarrel Shop Community Based Training programme

The primary purpose of the Quarrel Shop project is to provide a community based training programme to young people aged 16 – 21. The programme trains individuals in the skills of conflict resolution and mediation and equips them with workshop facilitation techniques and confidence to enable the young people to work with their peers in local youth organisations or other settings. The basic training happens in a group work setting and consists of 10 evening sessions, two full days and an in depth residential weekend over a three to four month period. This can be followed by volunteering and facilitation opportunities lasting up to a further three months.

“The Quarrel Shop training programmes provide an effective catalyst for change for the young people who participate”

Ofsted Report July 2004

· Up to 75% of participants will go on to find employment, further training or voluntary work

· all participants demonstrate significant personal development, an increase in self-confidence, communication and team working skills and a new range of conflict resolution, mediation or training skills

· participants who complete all aspects of the programme will receive a Leap certificate, a reference and some can apply to submit a portfolio to the Open College Network (LOCN) for learning accreditation at Level 2.

The training will develop their personal skills in managing their own attitudes to anger and violence and will give them an understanding of the costs and gains of conflict which will be beneficial in their everyday lives and relationships.

They will gain a range of tools and techniques to support this (life skills) and improve their personal skills which will enhance their employability. They begin to take responsibility for their own behaviours and to see how they can support others in difficult situations.

They can gain practice and validation as facilitators and young leaders.

The programme

There are four stages to the programme offered by Quarrel Shop.

1. Recruitment and taster sessions – consisting of a 2 or 3 hour training and individual self assessment and preparation for learning.

2. Ten evening and two day long training workshops plus a residential weekend – delivering structured and supported training and coaching in conflict resolution and mediation skills and basic training and presentation skills

3. Opportunities to work with youth groups, schools and other youth venues or the opportunity to deliver workshops to young people at events and conferences (supported by adult staff)

4. Free membership to PeerLink (a support and resource network for peer mediators and conflict leaders, with website, newsletters, training events, conferences, awards and certificates)

The programme is highly interactive, involving role-plays, group discussions,

Games, reflection and exercises. The residential element in particular can be challenging and in depth but is supported and structured to be a positive and rich learning experience.

Impact

Young people articulately recount their fears, perceptions and sometimes experiences of bullying, violence and crime in their communities. Anti-social and violent behaviour can be attributed to some young people in schools or in communities however -

We know that they are the victims of most youth violence and bullying.

We know they are interested and willing to learn about understanding and managing conflict. We know they are more than capable of becoming excellent young leaders and role models.

We know they are uniquely placed to lead and influence others and contribute positively to solutions in their own communities and peer groups.

Leap’s programmes have demonstrable success in lowering the levels of violence and bullying and enabling young people to feel safer, stay healthier and contribute positively to their communities.

Offering young people access to conflict resolution and mediation skills through Quarrel Shop impacts deeply on the lives of the participants but also has a cascaded effect on a large number of young people and contributes to the well-being of whole communities.

“Leap Confronting Conflict... provides very good quality training for young people and adult practitioners.”
OFSTED Extended Monitoring Report, July 2004

“I am more relaxed, focussed and confident in not only dealing with conflict, but also with my studies.” Quarrel Shop participant 2006

“I know now Everything has consequences and everything resolves around the choices you make.” Quarrel Shop participant 2006