What: Training Course "Conflict management and conflict resolution"

When: April 22^nd – 28^th, 2010

Where: Hostětín, Czech Republic

Who: YEE

In April 2010, in the very east of the Czech Republic, in the ecological village of Hostětín, YEE organised a training course on conflict management. The TC took place in the "passive House" hostel of the ecological center Veronica. It was already the third such training in a row - in 2008 we started with Basic Skills for Trainers, in 2009 we went on to TC on Teamwork and Communication, and finally, this year we moved to TC Conflict Management.

We decided to look at conflict from the other side - and try to see it as an opportunity, as a situation which can be transformed to something positive or at least neutral.
First of all, you need to find out what your needs are and how you usually behave in conflicts, and then of course you search for the reasons and look at the needs of others.
We believe that the training participants not only adopted these methods and techniques but learned more about themselves and the people around them as well. We also hope they will spread it in their home organisations and countries.

There are many approaches to conflict management and resolution, but this training course focused on transformation as a method of conflict avoidance/reduction. The word "transformation" indicates that there are many choices other than traditional "fighting" or "escape" strategies - it allows us to see the potential for positive change within a conflict. Such a new paradigm also alters the focus: we consider the problem not just from the positions of others, but also the spotlight moves to ourselves as standing centre stage of a conflict. Therefore, the selection of methods chosen for this training course has been chosen with the intention to flip the focus onto our personal strategies, perceptions, reactions, feelings,
and needs. As a team we will consider all these positions, as well as offer participants time for personal reflection. Time to self-assess, reflect and evaluate individual convictions is an important first step toward change; allowing us to find our personal path and the necessary tools for conflict transformation, while considering the positions of others.

A handbook on Conflict management and Conflict transformation is to be published in June.

Objectives

The aim of this five-day training course on conflict transformation was an invitation to reflect, learn new tools and try them in a safe training setting, and plan how to make them a reality.
In general, this project was meant to raise the potential of youth workers and give them tools to deal with various conflict situations in their everyday life and work. Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) believes that such events can help young people to become active in various fields, thus helping to foster cooperation in and among youth NGOs in general.

Participating countries

Armenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Greece, Macedonia, UK, Czech Republic, Georgia

Financial support

This project was funded by the European Youth Foundation - the Council of Europe and by Youth in Action Programme - the European Commission.

Photogalleries

Have a look at the two photogalleries about this TC on our website...

One is about the activities of the TC and the participants:

and the other is about the methods and tools used during the TC:

You can also download our May/June 2010 newsletter, where you will find articles about the TC and the village of Hostětín,
other pictures and the impressions from some of the participants about this experience!