AVP ROC Youth

 The Alternatives to Violence Project is a network running workshops for anyone who wants to find ways of resolving conflict without resorting to violence. We work in the community with adults and youth as well as in prisons.

We understand that conflict is a natural and normal part of life, and that it is possible to learn new ways of handling it. By holding workshops in which the participants consider the underlying causes of friction and violence, practical ways of dealing with situations of conflict are worked out.

Our workshops build on everyday experiences and try to help us move away from violent or abusive behavior by developing other ways of dealing with conflicts. They help us to increase the respect we have for ourselves and others.

AVP International

 AVP is a facilitated peer circle process done in groups of 10 to 20 participants with teams of 3 to 5 facilitators. Participants are guided through three consecutive days of carefully chosen exercises. Full workshops typically range from 18 to 20 hours. Mini workshops range from 2-6 hours. The work proves to be exponential, each day building on the previous to reach greater and greater impact.

Exercises include:

• light hearted games meant to make participants laugh and relax and find their childlike side
• guided personal 1:1 discussions on curated topics meant to build self-esteem, connection and eventually trust
• group circle activities and discussions that bring forth group experiences, community building, inclusion, learnings, and wisdom from the participants
• role plays, grounding exercises and personal reflective exercises. 

It is a facilitated process – the learning comes from the group (with exercises carefully chosen to guide and deliver). In AVP we say everyone is a teacher and everyone is a learner. 

PACEs Connection: Do you want an answer to ACE’s? (part 2) 

Over the course of the workshop, participants have a guided experience of deep personal reflection and vulnerable sharing with others, both 1:1 and in groups. These are interspersed with groundings and active physical activities to bring people back from deeper places, relieve the fatigue of hard emotional work, and to change the energy of the group.

The result for most participants is repeated waves of powerful mutual empathy, connection, and a strong sense of community. Trust is expanded, and with that people make themselves more vulnerable, creating even more trust.

Where ACEs (adverse childhood experiences), PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)  and trauma create low self-esteem, isolation, alienation, distrust, - AVP brings out the opposite – growing self-esteem and affirmation, creating profound connection and community, increasing empathy, trust, vulnerability, and hopefulness. 

PACEs Connection: Do you want an answer to ACE’s? (part 3)