The first of the Roots Peace Work Institute Tandem Projects in 2022 has already been completed – YMCA Prime (Barnaul, Russia) implemented a study session for teenagers aged 12-16 during Spring Camp Programme on March 28 – April 03, 2022.

Aiming at empowering the young people with appropriate conflict-solving skills,  the organizers ensured to create and sustain a learning environment based on YMCA principles of empathy, nonviolence and creativity. The participants were involved in group work, panel discussions, real life situations, role plays and individual interviews.

The usage of theoretical and practical materials of the Peacework Guidebook & Do No Harm methodology provided specific tools for identifying better ways and programming options. It was anticipated that the training participants would become aware of conflict resolution as a problem-solving approach to conflict.  That definitely brought to the understanding of the dynamics of human compromise among conflicting groups and how to reach a mutual agreement.

The group of young people attending the training had a varied background (public schools, extra-curricular workshops, music school, etc), so the acquired skills and techniques will also be practiced in other communities outside the YMCA circle and will therefore have a wider multiplying effect. Their experience of solving conflicts in a peaceful way will ultimately serve as a small-in-size but a great-in-value contribution to making the targeted local communities a better place.

The amount of positive feedback from “YMCA Prime for Peace” project participants serves as a motivation for YMCA Barnaul and the Roots to continue working on topics such as peace promoting and conflict resolution as we hope to sustain and enhance the cooperation and support!