Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

Peacebuilders’ mission is to build peaceful and sustainable communities by creating cross-cultural partnerships among youth and adults, building capacity for healthy relationships, personal resiliency and leadership. Peacebuilders’ vision is diverse peoples and cultures committed to building peace. 

Peacebuilders’ Toronto-based, award-winning programs aim to break the cycle of crime and punishment by helping troubled teens to stay out of the justice system and giving them the help and support that they need to change directions, graduate from school and lead positive, productive lives. 

Peacebuilders’ approach, based on core values such as Respect, Inclusion, Equity, Empathy and Responsibility, aims to build relationships based upon trust.  This approach thus establishes the groundwork for forgiveness and reconciliation and builds individual and community capacity to manage conflicts and differences without violence. 

Peacebuilders’ principles apply to the ways in which we deal with ourselves and with one another in groups, families and communities to address our differences and challenges, to make decisions to build peaceful and sustainable communities.   

Peacebuilders’ process principles include: 

• Voluntary participation
• equal access and opportunity
• transparency
• consensus-based decision-making
• purpose-driven dialogues
• respect for time limits
• impartial facilitation
• monitoring by group to ensure implementation of agreements

History of Organization

Peacebuilders International Inc. is the 2002 action plan of youths and adults, conflict resolution trainers and practitioners from Bosnia, Canada, Colombia, Jamaica, Macedonia, Northern Ireland, South Africa and the United States. Their vision was to promote respectful, equal relationships based on positive values, despite ethnic, religious differences, by promoting and using Peacemaking Circles.

Funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario from February, 2004 to June, 2006, Peacebuilders International’s first Pilot, Peacemaking Circles in St. James Town and Regent Park, focused upon youth aged 12 to 25, diverting them from the justice system.

In 2006, Eva Marszewski established the Canadian Charity, Peacebuilders International (Canada), "Peacebuilders" to continue and implement Peacebuilders’ Mission and Vision in Canada. In December 2006, Justice Canada funded the Youth Circles project for Toronto youth aged 12 to 18 to run until March, 2009, in partnership with St. Stephen’s Conflict Resolution Services and Pro Bono Law Ontario. Since then, Peacebuilders’ own fundraising has continued to support the Youth Circles Program.

Peacebuilders has developed excellent working relationships with Toronto’s main youth court, the Toronto District School Board, the City of Toronto, the Police, faculty from O.I.S.E./U.T., York, Ryerson, George Brown and Humber as well as many community organizations.

Accolades and Accomplishments

Since 2006, Peacebuilders has received the Canadian Criminal Justice Associations’ Crime Prevention Award, Toronto Mayor’s 2008 Community Safety Award and the Toronto Community Foundation’s 2009 Vital Ideas Award. Founder and Executive Director, Eva Marszewski received the prestigious 2006 Law Society Medal, (the only non – practicing lawyer to have received this award), the 2006 YMCA Peace Medallion and the 2009 Dianne Martin Medal for Social Justice Through Law.

“The youth-centered programs available through Peacebuilders…which are supported by committed and professional volunteers have a direct link to reducing youth violence and promoting positive life outcomes for young people…….With our increased understanding of … the effective prevention strategies available, there is no better time to embrace innovative, community-based programs….” - Chief Justice W. K. Winkler.

“These important programs support our children by diverting them from the criminal justice system and giving them an opportunity to change their future. They assist Toronto’s youth in learning to take responsibility for their actions, make better life choices and stay in school” - Chief of Police, William Blair.

 “Peacebuilders International …. has been at the forefront of restorative justice practice in the city. It is their belief that lasting personal change is best achieved through education.” - Mayor David Miller.

Programs

>Restorative Youth Circles
>Peace Entrepreneurs and Trainers Program (P.E.T. Program)
>Respect and Disrespect Program

Peacebuilders’ programs break the cycle of crime and punishment, promote access to justice for children and youth, fostering resilient young leaders who see the value in contributing back to their communities. Peacebuilders helps Toronto’s teens realize their full potential by helping them to stay out of the justice system, get back to school, overcome personal challenges, address literacy issues, respond appropriately to violence at home, social exclusion, and bullying. Peacebuilders thus helps these teens to embark on a course of self-development, acquire conflict management and effective communication skills and set the stage for student success.

We use a unique, cost-effective, comprehensive and proven peace-building circle dialogue model for both prevention and intervention combining a new Peacebuilding Circle methodology with ‘restorative justice’ philosophy, conflict resolution theory and consensus-building principles.

Lawyers, educators, mediators, social workers, mental health professionals, community elders, youth and others, people who care about disadvantaged children and youth, act as circle facilitators.

Our main programs include:

a) Peacebuilders’ flagship, award-winning program: Restorative Youth Circles, diverts youth from schools’ disciplinary processes, criminal justice and corrections systems.

b) Circles for Success holds weekly dialogue circles in a high priority neighbourhood

c) Respect and Disrespect Program works with students in classrooms across the city, trains students to deliver the program and counters bullying.

d) Peacebuilders Training Program for professionals working with youth in the community including lawyers, educators, social workers, counsellors, community workers and students and more.

e) Youth on Remand and In Detention

f) Two new programs starting during the summer 2010 are Youth 4 Peace, a summer youth trainers camp and the P.E.T. (Peace Entrepreneurs and Trainers) program.

Restorative Youth Circles

Peacebuilders’ flagship program diverts teens from unlawful activities giving an opportunity to re-direct their future, enabling them to reflect upon the issues that got them into trouble and learn how to engage in respectful dialogue. This award-winning process unravels the facts, gets to the bottom of the behaviour, establishes a sound foundation for remedial action ensuring appropriate implementation.

Three highly-skilled facilitators connect each youth to needed supports (eg. Tutoring, counselling), help them to make amends for wrong-doing, develop critical thinking, and non-violent communications skills to make better decisions.

Peacebuilders’ Circles use a Talking Piece, a key ingredient in giving youth an equal voice, building self-reflection and critical thinking about the impact of their actions, and focusing on re-building relationships and repairing harm. Using a disciplined, group dialogue methodology engaging supports from family, community, schools, places of worship, we build on success by creating positive, sustainable solutions that maximize benefits to all.

Funding and Program Partners:

The program works collaboratively with the youth court, justice officials, police and community. The Law Foundation of Ontario (2004) and Justice Canada (2006) have generously supported this program. Peacebuilders’ corporate sponsors such as RBC and other donors support this program though our annual Spring for Peace fundraiser.

Program Impact

Peacebuilders has diverted over 150 youth from the criminal justice system where the negative impact is serious as the rate of re-offending generally exceeds 80%. Highly skilled volunteers, committed to youth resiliency, youth empowerment and social justice ensure cost effective service-delivery, as the program costs less than $5,000 per youth, with 100% acceptance of Peacebuilders’ reports by the Courts, Crown prosecutors, defense counsel, police, school principals and communities. The outcome for each youth is improved self-development strategies which also will build their capacity for student success and leadership as well as significantly reduce if not altogether eradicate their likelihood of re-offending.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

• “There are between 100 and 160 youth gangs across the City of Toronto (about double the number in 2000), based on police estimates. Their longevity, ethnic composition, and size vary considerably. Gangs tend to actively recruit within high schools and members are relatively young (13-30).

• One third of residents and business owners in the City’s 13 Priority Areas reported that gang activity had increased in their neighbourhood in the year and a half prior to a 2007 survey.” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

15-year-old twins live with their single immigrant mom (M) working two split shifts. The brother (B) and sister (S) share a computer. B asked S to get off facebook so he could do homework. S refused. B tipped her chair, pinned her down. S called 911. B was charged with assault, ordered to stay away from his mother and sister.

This Circle was the first time in 7 months that he met with his family.

At first, B and S said nothing. Finally, B said, “I just feel really, really angry, and I don’t know why.” The keeper understood; said that when she got angry, behind the anger was pain, and pain was more uncomfortable than anger. Pandora’s Box opened. M was angry that her husband died, leaving her a single mother in a new country. S was angry about sharing a computer with B, a bed with M. B, a tough looking kid fighting back tears, said; “It was my basketball tournament. I scored the first goal. I looked to see my mom and sister cheering, they weren’t there. I played my best game ever: three baskets… We won.” B went home. S on the computer, M on the phone. “We won!” B said, and nobody responded - “It’s like, I’m invisible!”

As we were packing u, S went and gave B a hug. M joined in. B said, “I didn’t want to come home, I thought you didn’t want me to, but now I know you do.”

Peace Entrepreneurs and Trainers Program (P.E.T. Program)

The P.E.T. Program is a “train-the-trainers” model born of the resounding success of our Circles for Success Program (CSP) with youth in an at-risk Toronto community. In a recent CSP Circle discussion, youth who participated, expressed satisfaction that they were able to discuss a difficult subject without interrupting each other whereas; only a year ago they would not have been able to do so.

4 – 5 youth leaders from the CSP program have exhibited a desire to act as circle facilitators themselves in their own as well as other priority neighbourhoods. The P.E.T program will begin in June to train youth facilitators and provide them with an entrepreneurial opportunity facilitating circle discussions in their communities. The objectives of the training are to: a) empower youth to positively address difficult issues; b) provide experiential learning for effective, non violent conflict resolution and teambuilding for sustainable solutions and c) build leadership capacity and entrepreneurial skills.

Funding and Program Partners:

The CSP program operates in partnership with JVS Toronto and Arts for Children and Youth and is funded by the National Crime Prevention Association. The P.E.T. program has already received seed funding from Telus.

Program Impact

A total of 20 youth will be trained as Youth Circle Facilitators, with a group of up to 4 having the opportunity to become Youth Trainers. After completion of the program, these youth will be equipped to facilitate dialogue that will address the needs of their particular communities; be it community-building, conflict resolution, crisis response, or social healing. At the end of the Circle Facilitator training, up to 4 of the youth participants will also be presented with opportunities to market their newly acquired facilitation skills and to become Youth Trainers as part of the entrepreneurship component of the P.E.T. project.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

• “The youth unemployment rate surpassed 20% in June 2009, up 5% in just one year and 4% higher than the national rate.
• There are almost twice as many youth gangs as in 2000.” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

"Although we've all grown up together in this community and have known each for years, the circle is a different experience as I share things in circle that I didn't otherwise."

"I never thought I would be friends with anyone from this group, let alone tell them my thoughts and feelings. Through the structure of the circle and the kinds of topics we have been talking about, I feel my beliefs have expanded and I've grown to trust this group. I feel I can share my personal thoughts with each and every one of them."

"In circle, we use a talking piece. Each one of us can speak freely. We can disagree with each other and know that we'll have a chance to speak about how we feel. We don't interrupt each other and actually listen. Over time, we've learned that each one of us has an opinion and we have a right to our opinion and we can say it without judgment. The circle is completely confidential - and we get to talk freely. Everyone respects each other."

“What makes me upset is that people don't see that there is also good in our community - hard working people who are struggling to make ends meet, just like anybody, taking care and providing for their families. There are youth here working towards their education but need help to be successful and motivated in achieving their goals. What we don't want is more negative attention from politicians, police and the general public about how violent our community is." - Reflections from a number of youth in the weekly Circles for Success program for at a Toronto priority neighbourhood.

Respect and Disrespect Program

Peacebuilders’ Respect and Disrespect program is a classroom based program engaging students and teachers in ethical dialogue on the value of Respect, driven by their tangible experiences and connection with this universal human value. The program models circle guidelines, use of the talking piece and a questioning exercise for students to have a difficult conversation in a meaningful and inclusive way.

The circle and talking piece also serve as professional development for teachers who are especially interested in social justice issues. As an approach starting at the classroom level, it builds capacity among students and staff for restorative discipline at the school. The process is so designed that conversations are inevitably organic and encourages critical thinking, thereby also serving as a gateway for civic engagement at the school and broader community.

As we train new youth facilitators and leaders, we are not only fulfilling Safe School Mandates, but also establishing a foundation for proactive youth leadership, by empowering senior students to become facilitators and mentors for younger students. The Diss-arm workshops have integrated elements from citizenship and character education curricula with conflict resolution, communication skills and circle methodology, thus building capacity and fostering a culture of peace in our communities.

Program Impact

Since 2007, we have successfully piloted, with requests for follow up, delivery of our Respect and Disrespect Program with all grade 9 and 10 classes and the Guidance Department at Jarvis Collegiate; resulting in increased demand for our services at Neil McNeil High School, a Catholic all-boys High School in East Toronto for their Grade 11 Leadership students in a program that exemplifies inclusive leadership for conflict resolution and further unmet need for a group of grade 9 and 10 at-risk youth at William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“The percentage of people in the Toronto Region population yet to graduate from high school continues to fall slowly. 18.6% of those 15 years old and over, had not completed their secondary education in 2008, (down from 18.9% in 2007, and a dramatic drop from the 32.3% who had not graduated in 1990).” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

“Neil McNeil High School is a publicly-funded all-boys' Catholic school located in east Toronto. Our school has been working in collaboration with Peacebuilders International since 2009. In this time, Peacebuilders has trained over 50 of our student leaders to deliver their Respect/Disrespect workshop. These leaders, in turn, provided this workshop for our entire grade 9 population (220 students) and over 20 staff members. Respect/Disrespect, with its focus on equipping youth with the tools they need to identify and deal with the sources of conflict, helped us to address an area of need within our school community. A recent survey conducted in collaboration with Search Institute revealed that many of our boys have difficulty solving conflict non-violently. Feedback from both staff and students on the effectiveness of this workshop has been overwhelmingly positive. Personally, I observed a range of fruitful and honest discussion about the ill-effects of disrespect and the emotional harm that can often occur as a result - areas boys, due to their masks of masculinity, are rarely willing to delve into. Moreover, our exposure to Peacebuilders' circle process has led us to understand its value as a tool for promoting positive and equitable dialogue. Plans are underway to integrate the circle process into larger school programs and practices for both students and staff. We heartily endorse Peacebuilders and the value of their programs for helping to create peaceful and sustainable school communities”. – Nicholas Kovacs, Student Success Teacher, Neil McNeil High School.