Truce 20/20, UK

Truce 20/20 gives young people the skills to handle and mediate tensions to prevent violence in their own community, making Newham a safer and more welcoming place. It is a partnership project between Peace Direct and Conflict and Change, a local charity with over 25 years experience of conflict resolution within and between different ethnic groups in Newham.

How Truce 20/20 works

Truce 20/20 is a community workshop for young people aged 16-21 in Newham who want to make a positive change in their community. It’s completely free to take part and young people gain formal accreditation in conflict resolution, mediation and workshop leadership through a ten-week evening course. The sessions are fun and interactive and give young people the opportunity to explore their responses to conflict and tension in a supportive environment. Participants go on a residential weekend for intensive training and fun outdoor activities like climbing and canoeing.

Together we have encouraged each other to fulfil our life ambitions and have watched each other develop, grow and blossom as young people. - Isha Khan, Truce participant

One of the highlights of the programme is a visit from a peacebuilder from a conflict zone overseas. This is a unique opportunity for the young people to hear first-hand how local people are making a difference in Africa or Asia. Their grassroots approach and perseverance gives the young people new perspectives on their own communities. So far, Truce groups have worked with peacebuilders from Sudan, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Kashmir, DR Congo, Burundi and Pakistan.

After graduating from the Peacebuilders’ Workshop programme, participants go on to develop and deliver their own peacebuilding projects in their community, passing on the skills they have learnt to other young people at local, national and international level. Over 85 per cent of our graduates take part in these volunteering activities such as:

• Facilitating conflict resolution workshops in local primary and secondary schools;
• Designing and delivering tailor-made workshops for London-wide young projects, UK conferences and international organisations;
• Sitting on recruitment panels for related projects, management committees and the Truce 20/20 Steering Group;
• Truce graduates can apply for the Truce Apprenticeship Scheme, to become financially recognised facilitators in conflict resolution.

Change is the only thing that is certain in life and you choose what type of change you make. - Geurda Bondonga, Truce participant

Since 2007 Truce 20/20 has made the following achievements:

• Over 220 graduates of Truce 20/20;
• Providing training and events to over 4,300 people including peers at youth clubs and schools
• Forming their own Steering Group which takes responsibility and leadership of project development
• Five young people were supported in developing a Metropolitan Police DVD on stop and search policies
• Group of young people presented and facilitated sessions for young volunteers as part of the Global Exchange Voluntary Services Overseas project
• Members of interviewing panels, management committees and steering groupsaccross the Borough of Newham
• Representing the UK in international conferences on leadership and peacebuilding in Cyprus (2008), Slovakia (2009), Scotland (2009), Switzerland (2010), Wales (2010) and Germany (2011)
• Presenting at a police appeal for the Adam Regis murder appeal
• Facilitation of workshops to two groups of German and Polish volunteers from ‘Action Reconciliation Service for Peace’ for three consecutive years
• Speakers at national peacebuilding and environmental conferences to audiences as large as 300 young people
• Truce 20/20 steering group – Winner of ‘Group of the Year’ 2009 for contribution to resolving conflict in the community in national PeerLink Awards
• Arnaud Mpeke – Winner of  ‘Peer Trainer of the Year’ 2009 in national PeerLink awards
•  Jasmine Simeron – Winner of ‘Peer Trainer of the Year’ 2010 in national PeerLink awards
• Shortlisted for the ‘Fear and Fashion Award’ 2010, for addressing the issues of knife crime in the Newham community
• Winner of the ‘Citizenship Award’ 2010 at Shinning Through Awards organised by the Newham Borough of London
• Virginia Ivanova – Winner of the ‘Volunteering England Gold Award’ 2012 for her work with the Truce project
• And much more…