About Us
History, Results, & Evaluations
Peace Learning Center (PLC) is an educational institution teaching peacebuilding and conflict resolution skills to youth and adults. PLC demonstrates safe and common ways to deal with conflict and differences.
HISTORY
Started in 1997 in Indianapolis' Eagle Creek Park, Peace Learning Center has reached nearly 140,000 people locally and internationally. With a mission to educate, inspire and empower people to live peacefully, we believe all people have the capacity to resolve their conflicts peacefully. As Indianapolis' only non-profit solely dedicated to teaching peace education to our community, PLC is now in operation in six states in the U,S. and five countries worldwide. Ninety-one percent of PLC funding goes directly into programs and services.
Peace Learning Center was founded by Tim Nation, PLC's current Executive Director and Charlie Wiles, PLC's Interfaith and Intercultural Program Coordinator.
PLC has been honored with: the IUPUI Chancellor's Community Award for Civic Engagement - 2007, the Indiana Youth Institute -Youth Investment Award - 2006, the Indiana Department of Education - Service Learning Star Award - 2006, the World Council of Churches - Blessed are the Peacemakers Award - 2004, Sam H. Jones Best of the Best Diversity Award - 2003, Indianapolis Education Association's Spirit of Martin Luther King Award - 2003, Indiana Achievement Award for Innovation - 2001.
Eagle Creek Park – Indianapolis, Indiana:
PLC Eagle Creek is located in the summer home of J.K. Lilly, brother of Eli Lilly. As Eagle Creek Park is the fourth largest urban park in the United States, it is a beautiful setting and wonderful location for nature hikes year-round. A partnership with the City of Indianapolis and Indy Parks and Recreation provide this incredible facility for PLC programs and administrative staff. In addition to PLC programs, Eagle Creek is also the location for yoga classes sponsored by Peace through Yoga, Peace Hikes, and many community events and activities, such as Spirit and Place.
PROGRAMS
Peace Learning Center offers a variety of programs to serve people of all ages and backgrounds. Programs are for schools, community groups, summer camps, service clubs, businesses and individuals
Youth Services
K-12 Schools:
Engaging students and teachers—and as many parents as possible—facilitators deliver programming in the classroom and through visits to Peace Learning Center. Sessions are designed to meet the needs of young people and their schools. In addition, ACT Out Theatre holds student assemblies and family nights. Curriculum includes cooperative problem solving, character values and service learning.
Intervention Programs:
Designed and implemented to help incarcerated youth and those on probation, programs emphasize personal responsibility and life skills to be productive and successful.
Youth-Worker Sessions:
Serving populations who serve youth - teachers, camp counselors, and others - these sessions offer activities that help youth development professionals engage young people in learning communication skills and addressing conflict proactively.
Summer Program:
A peace leadership experience including peace building, diversity awareness, peer-to-peer dialogue and a nature walk, about thirty different summer camps and enrichment programs host PLC facilitators and attend sessions at PLC program sites. Groups: Summer camps, faith-based and community programs.
International Interfaith Initiative:
In partnership with Peace Learning Center, the International Interfaith Initiative is a collaboration of religious, civic, and educational organizations intended to stimulate creative cooperation and strengthen civil society. III engages in community service projects, convenes dialogues, hosts conferences & events, and celebrates our diverse cultural heritages through a shared appreciation for literature, art, music, and food.
PLC Corporate and Community Programs:
PLC offers professional development programs focused on cultivating healthy organizational practices. Sessions include diversity awareness, healthy communication, board and staff retreats and professional renewals. PLC partners with its clients to design programs to meet their unique needs.
Events and Collaborations
Peace Learning Centers MLK Community Fest honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is held at Christian Theological Seminary the Saturday before the MLK Holiday. In the fall, PLC organizes Fall Festival in Eagle Creek Park that includes activities entertainment for both adults and youth.
Peace Learning Center is an exceptional example of public and private collaborations. Peace Learning Center would not exist with out substantive community partnerships:
- City of Indianapolis and the City of Lawrence provide program and administrative space at Eagle Creek Park and Fall Creek Park where youth and families attend workshops and cultural experiences.
- More than 50 schools send their students to our facility in Eagle Creek Park for learning plus host our facilitators for in-class follow-up and experiences.
- A diverse array of foundations, corporations, and individuals provide over $500,000 each year in funding to implement our programs.
RESULTS
Since 1997, Peace Learning Center has made great strides establishing itself as a community resource for peace and diversity education in Indianapolis. Through partnerships and collaboration, Peace Learning Center has accomplished many activities:
- Provided intensive peace education to over 45,000 4th and 5th graders in the Indianapolis Public Schools and other students at Eagle Creek and Fall Creek Parks.
- Instituted Peace Learning Camp for 8,000 6th grade participants - a three-day, two-night experience to learn how to peacefully deal with conflict and explore the natural environment.
- Taught conflict resolution skills to over 9,000 young people from domestic violence shelters, summer camps, community centers, and after-school programs.
- Established 35 school-based peer mediation programs, forming mentoring programs, Peace Clubs, and building strong community school partnerships impacting over 19,000 students, parents and school staffs.
- Recruited, trained and employed over 2,500 community volunteers including church groups, first-time juvenile offenders, parents, K-12 and college students.
- Volunteers mentor, serve as peer mediators, teach peace, and help with renovations.
EVALUATIONS
- Completed evaluations of Peace Learning Center programs that showed over 88% of participants learned at least three new ways to manage conflicts.
- Decreased school suspensions by 68% in 12 schools with specialized peace services.
- 83% of teachers report witnessing their students using skills learned at Peace Learning Center.
- 71% of teachers report a reduction of fouls in their classroom (bossing, blaming, making excuses, name calling, etc...) six to eight weeks after their students attended a Peace Learnng Center program
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