Take A Workshop
Dedicate to Reducing Interpersonal Violence Within Our Society
Want to work toward non-violence solutions?Want to be more effective in your community/workplace?Just curious about the AVP workshops?
"Experiencing an AVP workshop yourself is the best way to really get to know the power of these experiential workshops. Many have said their first workshop was a life-changing experience."
Take a workshop yourself!
- Lots of AVP programs include workshops conducted in communities. These are pretty much the same as the prison workshops. However, as each workshop draws heavily on the personal experiences of the participants, it will be a different workshop than one conducted in a prison. We all have corners of violence in our psyche to work on, but the examples and specific directions will vary with the mix of participants.
- Workshops are 18-24 hours and might be over a weekend or spread out over more days or weeks.
- Typical charges are $40 - $100, with the upper ranges dedicated to providing scholarships. NO ONE IS REFUSED FOR LACK OF FUNDS
- Corollary: We appreciate donations!
AVP Workshop Structure
AVP is an intensive learning experience, offering 18 to 24 hour workshops, on three levels:
The Basic AVP Workshop is an intensive, learning experience that teaches interpersonal conflict resolution skills through a series of step-by-step processes. Generally, only taken once to lay the foundation of the AVP philosophy and program.
These experiences in small groups and one-to-one interactions build a sense of community and trust through exercises focusing on:
- Affirmation — Building self-esteem and trust.
- Communication — Improving both listening skills and assertive methods of expression.
- Cooperation — Developing cooperative attitudes that avoid competitive conflicts.
- Creative Conflict Resolution — Getting in touch with the inner "Transforming Power" to manage potentially violent situations. Through role plays, participants have opportunities to explore this power and learn new and creative ways to respond to real-life conflicts.
AVP workshops seek to assist people in personal growth and change, but AVP is not psychotherapy. We join together, participants and facilitators both, to explore our corners of violence and seek more satisfying ways to respond.
The Advanced Workshop
The Advanced AVP workshop focuses on the underlying causes of violence, both in ourselves and in the world we live in. It is designed to give participants opportunities to rebuild community, review in depth the concept of Transforming Power and proceed to set individual and group goals for the focus of the remainder of the workshop.
(Prerequisite: Completion of Basic Workshop)
Such a focus topic might be:
Fear — Reveals the hidden fears that usually underline anger, jealousy, and prejudice.
Anger — Results in a deeper understanding of the personal situations that trigger anger.
Power — (And powerlessness) Helps individuals understand power structures and their inner power.
Communication — Develops the skills and the ability to communicate in tense and stressful situations.
Forgiveness — Builds the groundwork for true reconciliation and freedom from guilt.
Bias Awareness — Builds awareness of stereotyping, bias, and prejudice in personal relations.
Racial Justice — Exploring the challenges people of color face.
Man-woman relationships — Explores issues of fear, anger, power, and powerlessness.
Manly Awareness — What is it to be a man?
Re-entry — Addressing the difficult transition from prison to community.
And others — Whatever the group finds most compelling.
In addition, Advanced Workshops are frequently designed to meet the needs of the specific group being trained, with the theme being chosen in a census by the group.
TO BECOME AN AVP FACILITATOR…
Begin by completing the Basic and Advanced AVP Workshops. If you find that this is an experience you would like to share and you would like to become an AVP facilitator, take the Training for Facilitators Workshop. This workshop is reserved for those who expect to be active volunteer facilitators in community &/or prison workshops.
This workshop focuses on developing team building, leadership methods, and group process skills. You will work in a small group, actually functioning as a facilitator. You will receive guidance and practice in facilitating all parts of a Basic Workshop:
- Team Building & Team Contract
- Agendas
- Exercises, brainstorms, and discussions
- Transforming Power Talk (key AVP philosophy
- Light & Livelies (Change-of-pace & mood games/activities)
- Role Plays
Main focus
• Group Process Skills - Introduces leadership styles, planning for experiential learning, and processing of exercises.
• Team Leadership Methods - Focuses on developing a team contract and cooperative leadership styles.
• Hands-on Experience - Offers practice in planning, presenting, processing, and evaluating workshop sessions.
Following the T4F, you will help facilitate actual workshops as an apprentice, paired with experienced Facilitators, until you've gained confidence and experience as a certified Facilitator.
Facilitators are all volunteers and usually unpaid (except for reimbursement for expenses). Some local AVP Programs pay stipends to Facilitators for non-prison workshops, especially when the Facilitator has limited employment and/or misses essential paid work to facilitate a workshop. All prison workshops are strictly unpaid, volunteer.