JCA has an investment in the issues of race relations, equity for all children and adults, and the overall health and vitality of Arkansas.
In line with our mission of making sure "all voices are heard", the JCA Board of Directors and staff members are deeply committed to establishing safe places for honest conversation.
During 2007 and 2008, JCA engaged The Plowshares Institute to provide training for community leaders, enabling these trained facilitators to guide our community in times of conflict. JCA has hosted three sessions of the Plowshares “Community Conflict Transformation Training”, and will continue to schedule these training sessions as needed or requested.
“Community Conflict Transformation Training creates a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural network of skilled community and city leaders to work proactively to build constructive relationships among all citizens. In response to current and emerging areas of conflict, Community Conflict Transformation Training helps communities and parties bogged down in what often seem to be irresolvable conflicts to build skills, achieve new levels of respect and empowerment, and develop mutually beneficial agreements.” (www.plowsharesinstitute.org)
With a trained group of community problem-solvers, we should be positioned to address present and future issues with civil dialogue to promote healthy outcomes for our entire community. JCA’s aim is to foster reconciliation and long-term community dialogue and healing.
We welcome ALL individuals and organizations who share that same aim. If you care about our community and want it to be the best possible place for all of us to live, work and raise our families, we ask for your endorsement of this program. We are looking for more stakeholders, both as individuals and on behalf of your constituent groups, to endorse this process. To date over 300 individuals have signed on as stakeholders in this process and 30 community organizations have signed on as Partners. Sign on as a stakeholder and be kept up to date on upcoming Community Conflict Transformation Training sessions, and other ways in which you can help move our community forward.
Ninety community leaders from the surrounding area have participated in these dynamic training sessions. See what some of the participants had to say about their experiences by reading their testimonials. Those interested in attending a Community Conflict Transformation Training session should contact Ruth Shepherd at the JCA office or click here to access a registration form.
"In my work as a facilitator, as well as in my daily life, I can see how mediation used as a tool to empower and build peace, would be very useful. I am also interested in continuing the work we started during the workshop."
"Not only did I enjoy the trainers, I also enjoyed the agenda and format, the community conflict examples they provided us with, as well as the multiple role playing experiences. I also enjoyed that we concluded the training with a “roundtable discussion” regarding true-to-life issues surrounding the Little Rock area."
"After attending this training, I anticipate to use my newly developed conflict resolution skills to further my ability as a mediator not only in my professional work in the community, but also in my personal life. I have real difficulties with problem solving (I don’t like conflict, and like to avoid it at all costs!), so this training has opened a whole new world of possibilities for me. And, not only did I leave the training with tips, tricks, and valuable notes, I also walked away from the training with a wonderful book to help me along the way!"
"I hope to get involved with a systematic interaction with people of different races to see what would happen if we got to understand each other at a deeper level. Hopefully this process won’t require mediation as much as courtesy, respect and honesty. However I now have an understanding of how a mediator can facilitate dialog for real understanding."
We invite you to contact JCCA staff or board members to learn more about Community Conflict Transformation Training.
JCA also offers the Walk for CommUNITY, the Humanitarian Award Dinner and the Gathering of Friends as other events aimed at the broader community.