|
Peace Games believes that children are peacemakers - not simply victims, perpetrators or witnesses of violence. Peace Games' mission is to support young people as peacemakers and to change the way our nation views young people in the context of violence.
Young people have traditionally been seen as playing three roles related to violence. These roles are stereotypes - partial truths fueled by national reports and headlines. School shootings like Columbine, attacks on teachers, and reports of school bullying dominate headlines and then disappear … until the next episode. Here is what we are likely to read in the morning paper or the latest national report:
- First, young people are victims. For example, statistics tell us that every day 14 children are killed with a handgun.
- Second, young people are seen as perpetrators. For example, statistics tell us that 315 young people are arrested daily for committing a violent crime.
- Third, young people are witnesses. For example, statistics tell us that a child witnesses over 10,000 acts of violence on television before she enters school.
These well-documented roles are partially true. However, statistics and headlines often miss a deeper and more subtle truth: young people are peacemakers. Every day in schools and communities, young people cooperate, resolve conflicts without violence, and are engaged with others -- helping, healing and working to make the world a slightly better place. They just don't get much credit … or support.
Research tells us that violence is learned, that just as students learn how to read or ride a bike, our children learn how to fight, hate, and kill. If violence can be learned, so can the skills of peacemaking. However, this kind of learning takes a school-wide commitment: time, attention and sustained partnerships.
This is the role of Peace Games in schools and communities. We work in partnership with educators, parents, students and community members to support young people as peacemakers. We focus on four important actions that peacemakers take:
- Communication
- Cooperation
- Conflict Resolution
- Engagement
|
