Since the World Health Organization designated covid-19 as a pandemic, we have seen widespread cancellations of large public gatherings and a flood of emails as government officials share tools and tips for personal health and hygiene.
“Just as people are learning how to mind their personal hygiene during covid-19, we also have an opportunity to practice sound social and emotional hygiene,” said Elissa Barrett, Executive Director of the Western Justice Center (WJC).
WJC’s mission is to empower people to strengthen their communities by growing the conflict resolution capacity of youth, educators, schools, and community partners.
In keeping with sound health and safety practices, WJC has postponed its 17th Annual Peer Mediation Invitational (PMI), which had been set for March 24 and 25 at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. At PMI, the nearly 200 student peer mediators who attend each year get to sharpen their skills, meet other mediators from around Southern California, and be celebrated as leaders in their school communities. Many peer mediation programs in SoCal have been started by graduates of ABC’s of Conflict – the four-day intensive conflict resolution education program that WJC offers to educators, counselors and administrators every summer.
“After postponing PMI, we asked ourselves: How can we be of service during these challenging times? What are the tools that we teach student peer mediators that would actually serve all of us right now?” shared Shaune Gatlin, Program Director for Conflict Resolution Education at WJC.
In addition to getting ready to offer virtual lessons on conflict resolution, WJC has created Tools for Relational Health During Covid-19 to help people navigate the inter-personal stress that often arises when people feel afraid or anxious.
“We hope these tools help kids, parents and teachers be a source of calm and help others to carry on,” said Barrett.
“We hope our Tools for Relational Health call people to be their best selves. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ‘Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You only need a heart full of grace [and a] soul generated by love.’”
For more details, call 626.584.7494.
