Bring 24 young ambassadors together for peace

Welcome to the latest update from Encompass – The Daniel Braden Reconciliation Trust. Thanks so much for your support for our work.

Encompass runs six programmes a year - two are international and four UK only. Each programme combines outdoor adventure sessions which break down barriers, with facilitated workshops aimed at tackling conflict, stereotype and identity.

Encompass enables dialogue. The need for dialogue between communities that are often taught to mistrust each other is vital. Dialogue is an inclusive process in which people have a sense of joint ownership. Dialogue entails learning and not just talking. Dialogue recognises one another’s humanity and stresses a long-term perspective.

Programme report: November 2014 international programme

We have just completed our latest international programme, held at the Plas Gwynant Outdoor Activity Centre in Snowdonia, Wales.

Eight participants from the UK joined four from Indonesia, four from Israel, four from Palestine and four from the USA. They were taught skills which will boost their life experiences, their understanding and tolerance of other communities and enhances their employability.

The aims of the programme were:

• To explore the nature of conflict in a safe and structured way
• To explore what a person’s community or religion means to them and to learn about others communities and religions
• To explore the idea that even though we all have differing backgrounds, we all have a place in a diverse society
• Empower young people by developing their skills and mentoring and equipping them to make a difference in their communities and in society as a whole

Here are some of the exercises that took place on the November 2014 programme:

• Carousel – ice-breaking exercise
• Identity onions – reflecting on the nature of identity, what’s important and why
• Two scenes from a life – encouraging participants to reflect on episodes in their lives that have shaped them
• Changing our community – case study exercise involving the nature of power and the skills required to make change
• Crossing the line and Where do you stand? – diversity exercises
• Privilege and stereotype – an exercise at identifying the nature of each
• Conflict squares and conflict mapping – looking at the concept and theories behind conflict including an exercise at empathising with people living in conflict
• Active listening – the young people got to learn this vital conflict resolution skill
• Hand-over Saturday – the group planned and facilitated their own workshops on themes such as community, conflict and identity

Participants had some very deep, difficult, yet productive conversations. The Israelis and Palestinians both spoke and listened with such maturity and really did increase their understanding and are going home with a view to try to make positive change in their communities…together. So much so that they proposed a joint project!

We were so impressed with their idea for the project – a joint awareness building initiative for young people – that we have agreed to support them along the way with basic funding. They will then raise the rest of the money needed themselves. We made them work hard for their money though! They had to present their project to a panel of funding experts who evaluated its potential.

As well as the Israelis and Palestinians, the UK group, the US group and the Indonesian group all came up with very impressive ideas for community projects, which again, are being supported by Encompass through advice and a small financial contribution to get them started along the right road.

Programme Manager, Lucy Frankenburg, who was one of the programme facilitators, said about the November 2014 programme, “We had a really wonderful group this time. Every single one of them is shining. This was one of the most positive programmes I have been on and I have really high hopes that this group of participants are going to go back to do great things.”

Thanks again for your support for our work.