Before Transforming Conflict cohort, I used to assume people who were good at mediation had a natural talent for it. Now, I know there’s tips and tricks to mediation.
-Michelle, conflict cohort participant
What will I learn during the program?
Practice Labs
Two practice labs are scheduled in the two weeks after the program for participants to explore emergent topics and continue learning and building skills in mediation and conflict.
The labs are led by facilitator Ray Sukin Klauber. Topics are decided on by the group depending on what they want to continue learning about.
Coaching Call
Each organization will be able to schedule a one-hour (60-minute) coaching call with one of our practitioners to receive personalized support for conflict issues they’re facing in their organization. Calls may be scheduled for 3-4 months after the program.
Organizations can choose to purchase additional coaching calls with facilitators as capacity allows.
Application Process
This program is designed for movement organizations who are ready to engage in building their skills to lead through conflict and who have the capacity to send at least three members to fully participate in the entire program, as well as practice labs and coaching calls.
For organizations new to VCW programs, a brief introductory meeting may be arranged as part of the application review process.
We kindly ask that you set aside approximately 15 minutes to complete the application, and make sure to have all the necessary information ready.
Before you get started, please gather the following:
We’re looking forward to learning more about your organization! Thank you for taking the time to complete the application.
Application Deadline:
Applications are open until May 31st, 2024, and will be reviewed as they are received.
Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Queer, and Trans-Led organizations will be prioritized. Organizations will be selected based on their capacity and commitment to implement and absorb the support and their need for conflict intervention.
Trainers
“The conflict cohort trainers brought a depth of clarity and wisdom to the material that showed clearly how much experience they have in mediation.”
Martina, conflict cohort participant
As a longtime social justice educator and organizer, Sala has organized with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM) NY chapter since 2002 and served as it’s security coordinator for more than fifteen years. Her organizing work with MXGM ranges from coordinating security to leading programming such as New Afrikan Scouts, Camp Pumziko, Copwatch, Know Your Rights Trainings, Black August, political prisoner work and more. Sala was the Founding Director at Little Maroons Childcare Cooperative, which sunsetted in 2020. Passionate about the arts, youth, community safety and liberatory practices, Sala incorporates creativity into every aspect of her work.
Sala is the instructor for the first day of the program, teaching on the roots of conflict.
Lindsey Charles is a consultant at Vision Change Win, specializing in mediation. She is a licensed social worker and a certified health coach with over 10 years of nonprofit experience. Lindsey has worked as a social worker in educational settings and provides technical assistance best practices for staff working with youth. As the Associate Director of Support Services at FEGS (Federation Employment Guidance Services) she supports 13 teachers at schools throughout New York City, supports them with trainings, technical assistance, and innovative protocols to more effectively work with young people.
As a former Co-Chair of the Audre Lorde Project’s Board of Directors Lindsey, provided fiscal oversight, fundraised, and led board recruitment efforts to support the organization’s management and development. She’s passionate about social justice, wellness, violence prevention, food justice and reducing staff burnout.
Lindsey facilitates the six sessions dedicated to learning how to lead mediations. She is also available for the included coaching calls for participants.
Ray is a consultant at Vision Change Win who enjoys developing programmatic structures that increase sustainability and shared power for front line staff, as well as the communities they serve. They are a mixed race, Eurasian & Ashkenazi, trans, trauma/crisis intervention specialist, mediator and facilitator who has been working in non-profits for the past 20 years.
As a dedicated direct service provider, Ray has spent years in radical harm reduction settings. They have supervised programs, milieus and county-wide events, as well as supported hundreds of young people and dozens upon dozens of front line staff. As a popular education curriculum designer and facilitator, Ray has conducted hundreds of trainings, support groups and retreats for adults and young people alike across the country. Their commitment to collective liberation has taken them wherever young people can be found, from streets to schools, from drop-in centers to jails and foster care. Ray strives to cultivate spaces safe enough for people to dream, laugh, grieve, learn, love and practice.
Ray leads curriculum development for the conflict cohort, application review, and also facilitates a session on power dynamics. They support the entire cohort and lead two practice labs, as well as being available as a coach for participants.
Accessibility
This program is offered in English. Closed captioning will be available for all sessions. ASL interpretation is available if needed. We will connect with participants to learn more about access needs once they are accepted. Please select your accessibility needs on the application form.
Context
As a movement laboratory, VCW has a birds-eye view of the most pressing issues among movement-based organizations. Our trainers have 10-30 years of experience within movement spaces as organizers and leaders and have deep knowledge of moving through conflict while centering radical values.
Last year, one in four requests to Vision Change Win centered around support for working through and with internal conflict. We, as movement organizations, are struggling to continue the work of organizing our communities and fighting against oppression while meeting organizational ruptures with the kinds of skill, prevision, and internal structures needed to navigate these growing tensions in a values-aligned way.
Without shifting our focus to repairing our relationships, our movements will rot from the inside out.
-Ejeris Dixon
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