Projects overview

1. Seedlings of Peace Summer Camp
2. Additional Summer Camp for returning youth
3. Ongoing support for Summer Camp graduates
4. Extended summer program for 2006
5. Volunteer projects for youth and adults
6. Ongoing weekend volunteer program through out the summer months
7. Ongoing seminars and workshops in conflict resolution
8. Mediation introduction programs in schools
9. Youth club activities
10. Public and private presentations of ECL programs and projects
11. Center for exchange programs from local to around the world
12. Residential retreat center for use by other organizations and institutions

1. Seedlings of Peace Summer Camp

The main and founding program of ECL is the “Seedlings of Peace Summer Camp”. The improvements in evaluation and follow up will be the primary benefit to this program and will help to promote spin off projects by graduates. To date this Peace Camp is held once annually in the village of Latinovac, and brings youth, 15 – 25 years old, together from all three religious and ethnic backgrounds of pre-war Yugoslavia to learn communication and leadership skills and to foster lasting relationships.

Specific skills in Non-Violent Communication, Compassionate Listening, Reflective Listening, and Mediation are taught in a workshop environment by trained and certified facilitators. Each camp has a volunteer work component out in the community that serves to foster volunteerism, provide opportunities for cooperation, be of service to the surrounding communities and builds awareness of the project. Other activities include cooperative, creative problem solving and systemic thinking games, all critical for implementing new concepts in an engaging way. Much of the decisions in camp are made through consensus and participants contribute to the daily needs of cooking and maintenance. This process provides a constant opportunity to practice the skills learned in workshops and trainings, and come together as a community. The rural surroundings, supportive staff, and skills learned in listening and communicating, combine to create a “safe container” for participants to express and receive each other’s views and experiences, many of which are extremely traumatic, in a nurturing and protected environment.

2. Additional Summer Camp for returning youth

Due to the success and popularity of the Seedlings of Peace Summer Camp, we also intend an advanced Summer Camp for graduates of the Peace Camp. Improved funding, program planning and project management will enable ECL to bring the advanced camp to life with a full compliment of participants and staff for year 2007.

In this second camp, smaller groups of older and more experienced youth will have an opportunity to go deeper into more intensive seminars and workshops with a stronger focus on developing leadership skills. Those with interest can work as junior staff with the Seedlings of Peace Summer Camp, choosing areas of interest in which to contribute. This additional camp has had a trial year, and is now in further development. Additionally this camp will feed a more formal program of support for Peace Camp graduate initiatives.

3. Ongoing support for Summer Camp graduates

Follow up and support for youth graduating from our Peace Camps is an important part of sustaining their experience and spreading its impact. This aspect of the program must become a project of its own. With a sensitive and stable staff intimately involved in the programs at camp and the realities they face at home, we can address issues that may arise for participants as they integrate back into their villages and cities. We can help them to plan and support initiatives they undertake. With our increased capacity we plan to introduce training in community building and access to the help they need to succeed in their initiative.

4. Extended summer program for 2006

ECL intends to have an extended program in 2006 from June through September. Smaller groups of youth over a longer period of time, both from the region and abroad, are invited to participate in improving and maintaining the facilities we rely on for running the Peace Camp. Communication and coordination of participants and staff both in planning and executing this project will be greatly impacted by our improved organizational management. Outreach to advisors and networking with potential partners is also greatly improved. Additional activities of this program will include daily language building skills, teaching Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian and English or other languages depending on the participants. We will plant and care for a garden to grow much of our food on site. Workshops on cooking in traditional styles from all nationalities involved, and baking our own bread in traditional out door ovens are also planned. We will continue with many activities of the Peace Camps daily offerings with morning meditation, yoga, walking, and circle dancing. We plan different evening activities ranging from talent shows, music and games, to simply socializing around evening fires. Communication related games and activities, sports, day hikes and excursions to local lakes and historical sites are also planned. There will also be one and two day workshops periodically through out the summer open to all in Non Violent Communication, Compassionate Listening, and Mediation, as well as other subjects depending on available trainers.

This will be the primary project during the summer of 2006, and will reach a larger number of youth than any previous year to date. This program will offer a unique opportunity to learn, grow, be of service, and engage with a wide range of people from the region, and beyond, and will contribute to the growth of ECL and its ability to function reliably into the future.

5. Volunteer projects for youth and adults

Volunteers have been and will continue to be the backbone of support for ECL. Many graduates of our Peace Camps and others from within the region or around the world are anxious to help us with our work and continue to engage with us. We will be organizing regular projects with volunteer groups from the region and around the world centred on various mission related activities. Coordination of volunteers into these programs and activities is ongoing, and requires increased support and attention of our staff. DCI funding will add to our capacity to utilize and structure this resource.

6. Ongoing weekend volunteer program through out the summer months

Weekends during the summer between our scheduled programs have typically been open to the public to come and help us with any particular needs we may have in the moment either with the grounds, facilities, or planning and administration, depending on skills and need. Again, coordination of these activities is dependent on our currently stretched capacity. Our operational funding is key to utilizing this valuable resource through outreach and volunteer oversight. We always have a planning dinner Friday evening, followed by a working Saturday. Sunday we try to keep for recreation activities like day hikes etc, to further bond volunteers and create community.

7. Ongoing seminars and workshops in conflict resolution

In addition to the Peace Camp, ECL has and will continue to host seminars, trainings, and workshops for both youth and adults in the areas of mediation and conflict resolution. These skills are the foundation for our reconciliation work, and offering them on a regular basis is a priority. ECL is also available to local residents as a mediation center for resolving conflicts in family or community. Whether offering trainings within our programs or as stand alone workshops, ECL is with this work contributing to deep healing and the softening of rigid attitudes and stereotypes.

8. Mediation introduction programs in schools

In fall of 2005, ECL has taught an introduction to mediation in a number of schools local to Pozega. This is a large step forward for our work, as well as for the reputation of ECL in the local area and municipality that funded the program. The expanded outreach made possible by our strong operation restructure is key to this goals continued success and growth. This program was possible due to our success thus far with the Peace Camp, and its positive exposure in the locally. We are anxious to continue this program into other areas, and expand to include youth mediator programs with in the school systems through out the region.

9. Youth club activities

ECL is currently running a multi media club for local youth held in Latinovac. Using the donated computers we have beyond our needed office equipment, we are teaching computer skills and basic maintenance. Computers are what every young person wants to get involved with, and introducing new skills in this feeds many activities in their lives. Although small, this program is popular with local young people, and draws further attention to our larger work and programs. Youth groups require ongoing local staff to run them, and training and support from ECL staff and facilities. This can only be possible with the integration of our volunteers and other support through ECI. We will assess the validity and success of this program upon its completion and assess if we will continue it into the future.

10. Public and private presentations of ECL programs and projects

We make regular presentations of the work and programs of ECL in Latinovac and communities across the region. With the directors time freed for expanded outreach and networking, presentations are an important activity strengthened by DCI and other partner funding. We are often presenting our video on the Peace Camp to professional organizations of many types and to the public at large and speaking about all the work we are engaged in. To sensitize the general public with alternatives to the attitudes and issues facing the region is a crucial part of our mission. Much of the work we are doing is on issues often not spoken of publicly, and carries a tremendous level of resistance to expose wounding or address feelings of guilt. People are often moved to begin or continue personal healing as a result of these presentations, many becoming involved with ECL and its programs.

11. Center for exchange programs from local to around the world

ECL offers exchange programs for youth and adult groups from the region and around the world wishing to learn, participate in, and contribute to the promotion of our principals, engage in various cultural and environmental programs, and support our growth. These programs need extensive oversight from staff and inputs by advisors and other resources, all impacted by a strong and efficient ECL team. Some of these programs will include staff and youth participation from around the world working together with regional organisers and participants in their communities on projects to improve conditions and learn from each other's cultural heritage. We are active in the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage through renovation of its site using traditional materials and techniques where possible, and hosting cultural activities from all ethnicities throughout the region.

12. Residential retreat center for use by other organizations and institutions

Use of our facilities by paying organizations and institutions will be ongoing and income generated will support our operating expenses into the future. Marketing and coordination are critical to the success of a reliable income stram through use of our facilities be other groups. Both the directer through her outreach, and our project manager will oversee and steward this important development.