service learning – Peace Learning Center

23 09, 2015

Desmond Tutu Youth Fellows

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:07-04:00September 23rd, 2015|Tags: desmond tutu center, service learning, tutu, youth fellow, youth service|

What is the Desmond Tutu Youth Fellows Program? At the heart of the Desmond Tutu Center is a simple, bold idea: to identify, train, sustain, and connect the next generation of emerging young leaders struggling for social justice and reconciliation around the world and right here in Indiana. In 2013, the Desmond Tutu Center received a gift from the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, allowing the Center to launch its Youth Fellows Initiative, an empowerment program for young emerging leaders from Central Indiana and South Africa. The Youth Fellows initiative is designed to support youth who want to change and challenge existing norms that prevent their community from achieving equality. In collaboration with Indianapolis-based Peace Learning Center, Central Indiana youth, ages 16-21, will be selected based on their passion for social justice and desire to implement a project that will uplift their community. Youth Fellows from Central Indiana will travel to South Africa on an educational tour led by DTC Executive Director, Allan Boesak, close colleague and friend of Desmond Tutu. The two-week trip will take place during the last two weeks of July with expenses including passport fees, airfare, accommodations, and meals covered by the Desmond Tutu Center. On this study trip, the Youth Fellows will be paired with an organization related to their social justice focus area. They will live with a South African family, see the country and struggles of the Apartheid, and seek out key South African

19 02, 2015

Koinonia Project

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:26-04:00February 19th, 2015|Tags: Koinonia, service learning, volunteering|

The Koinonia Project KOINONIA: Greek word, κοινωνία, which means communion, joint participation; the share which one has in anything, participation, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, etc. Join together in the spirit of GENEROUS SHARING through the Koinonia Project to find common unity in service and share in the responsibility of our caring for our community! #CommonUnity Click here to donate! Would you like to learn more? Contact project coordinator Melita Carter at mcarter@peacelearningcenter.org or at 317-450-5403.

6 10, 2014

Peace Crew in the News!

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:39-04:00October 6th, 2014|Tags: peace crew, peer facilitation, peer mentors, service learning|

Click here for Peace Crew ABC News Story We are very proud of our Peace Crew students at IPS Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School who were featured in a news segment on RTV6 ABC News on Friday, 10/3 at 6 pm! What is Peace Crew? Peace Crew is an innovative Indianapolis-based program designed to increase leadership, volunteerism, positive school and community connections, social emotional learning skills, and academic investment by empowering high school students to be peace education mentors to younger students. It does this by incorporating conflict resolution and diversity education with service-learning by bringing secondary students into the classrooms of their younger peers to serve as facilitators. The program maximizes the impact of PLC’s interactive and experiential program model by utilizing schools most important and often over-looked resources – students – to teach and model peace education lessons. PLC staff works closely with schools to identify students who have the capacity and interest to become school leaders even if they are not academically talented students. Our goal is to provide a positive service opportunity for students who might normally be overlooked as potential leaders. 2014-2015 Peace Crew Program Outcome Objectives: After participating in the semester-long program, at least 85%, or 85, of the 100 Peace Crew members (secondary students) will: - Demonstrate an increase in their ability to resolve conflicts without violence; Report an increase in their positive peer relationship skills (to include anti-bullying skills); Demonstrate an

17 07, 2014

Project Greater Than Me

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:48-04:00July 17th, 2014|Tags: community action grant, Pro(ACT), Project Greater Than Me, service learning, youth service|

While on a mission trip to Botwana, Africa, Derrin Slack experienced the power of giving back to others and wondered how his life would have been different had he been exposed to service at a younger age, thus, Project Greater Than Me was born. Focus 2020 grant recipient and leader of Pro(ACT) Community Partnership, Derrin created strong young civic leaders this past year through his initiative Project Greater Than Me, which provides service opportunities to youth in the Indianapolis area. The program lasted the entire school year and engaged 7th through 12th grade youth in community service projects every Saturday. Some of their service sites included Outside the Box, Wheeler Mission, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. They were also even able to help with other Focus 2020 projects in the community such as the Rivoli Park Labyrinth and the VSA Arts of Indiana. Derrin explained, “Our organization is unique in that we are creating another dot on the map of community nonprofits, but we are also creating a web connecting others to those community nonprofits, which in all strengthens the community.” The first semester of Pro(ACT) impacted about 53 young people through service. However, during the second semester in the spring of 2014 the number of youth involved skyrocketed to an astonishing 800 youth. Project Greater Than Me was able to grow thanks to the Focus 2020 grant which assisted with funding as well as providing useful workshops. The Peace Learning Center’s “Help Increase the Peace”