Project PEACE

Incidents of school violence across the country have sparked a search for ways to help prevent minor disputes from escalating into deadly tragedies. In Pennsylvania, a key part of that effort is Project PEACE. This training reaches out to children at a much earlier age than other conflict resolution programs. The hope is that teaching elementary school children to work out their problems and disagreements is a skill they will carry through the rest of their school years, and beyond.

Since its launch in February 2000, the Project PEACE violence reduction plan has been adopted by more than 160 Pennsylvania schools, including a district-wide program in the School District of Philadelphia. Project PEACE brings together teams of teachers, school administrators, counselors, parents and attorneys to help children develop skills to reduce conflicts. This peer mediation process encourages children to change their behavior and work with each other to resolve their differences peacefully.

Removing the climate of fear and conflict can allow schools to refocus on their primary mission of teaching our next generation of citizens.

The Vision
The Goals of the Project PEACE Training Conference:

• Promote understanding of conflict resolution as a life skill
• Develop awareness of and experience with various skills of mediation
• Compare and contrast mediation with the consequences of violence
• Provide opportunities to network with attorneys and mediation professionals
• Familiarity with the Community Board Elementary School Conflict Resolution curriculum
• Create a school-based plan to establish a peer-mediation programs across the state

Sponsors
Project PEACE is a cooperative effort of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Click here for additional information about the program.

For more information about Project PEACE, contact: