CCP Goal:
To build a culture of justice, peace & reconciliation by
Grounding participants in the principles and practice of active nonviolence as a way of life and social change.
Offering tools and building skills for nonviolent social change.
Using a popular education approach which values individuals’ experience and wisdom, as well as the group’s collective learning process.
Employing a variety of tools to accommodate diverse learning styles.
Identifying personal and spiritual resources for the work of active nonviolence.
Building trust and a sense of community to support a commitment to action.
Planning personal and social nonviolent projects and actions.
Replacing fear and hopelessness with a sense of empowerment and readiness
CCP DESCRIPTION
“Creating a Culture of Peace – Community-based training for generating nonviolent power,” (CCP), traveled to 36 states and Palestine, trained thousands of participants and 300 trainers, and was adopted by national faith organizations and Veterans for Peace within its first four years. Janet Chisholm, who established CCP at the Fellowship of Reconciliation, moved with the program to Kirkridge Retreat Center in January 2007. In 2010 CCP became an independent entity under the leadership of the CCP Board of Directors with Janet serving as Executive Director.
The innovative design of CCP provides a holistic and practical foundation in active nonviolence which is a spiritually grounded, peaceful and powerful process for bringing about change. It urges respectful engagement with opponents, instead of confrontation that polarizes and demonizes. It holds that all violence is connected. CCP serves as an incubator for participants to raise the issues which most concern them, such as group controversy and conflict, neighborhood violence, domestic violence, climate change, war and militarism, racism, hate crimes, discrimination, economic violence, video games, homelessness, legislation, peace education, etc. Participants practice skills and discover their own power to plan and implement nonviolent changes they desire.
CCP training is highly participatory; it does not depend on reading a book or lectures. Instead, it draws upon the wisdom, experience and talents of all participants and on the skills and knowledge of facilitators. Mutual learning occurs through storytelling, meditation, small group sharing, brainstorming, role plays, thought-provoking exercises, music and movement. CCP offers nonviolence principles, analysis of social change and community-building, peacemaking skills and resources. Every group plans projects.
CCP emphasizes two forms of active nonviolence. Constructive Nonviolence, the way to change the status quo and create a just and peaceful culture by developing new relationships, practices, and organizations, requires the majority of our time and effort. Nonviolent Resistance, designed to oppose injustice and oppression through actions like petitions and rallies or even boycotts, is sometimes required, as well. Both forms are enhanced by increasing the participation of ordinary people.
CCP courses are offered by trained CCP facilitators in communities across the country.
For more information, contact Daniel Petersen-Snyder at dpetersensnyder@gmail.com or 917 597-7203.