Liberatory Mediation for Movement Organizations
At Vision Change Win, we dream of movement organizations so intentional, resilient, and skilled that the need for outside mediators is rare. We dream of organizations equipped to lead through and with challenging conflicts.
***APPLICATIONS CLOSED FOR SPRING 2024. STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS ABOUT SUMMER 2024 COHORT SOON***
We invite your group or organization to join the Transforming Conflict cohort, where you will learn about the root causes of conflict, practice tools to lead skillfully through conflict and be trained in the seven steps of mediation, all with the politics and values of movement organizations at the center.
This highly interactive small cohort is designed for organizations ready to transform how they view and address conflict and who have the capacity to send two or more people to attend sessions on a range of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays in March and April 2024.
What is the Transforming Conflict cohort?
Vision Change Win is launching a new program for groups looking to gain a deeper understanding of conflict transformation and to continue building the skills needed to practice their values while leading through conflict.
During this highly interactive program, participants will:
- Learn to identify the root causes of conflict, including interpersonal dynamics versus organizational shortcomings
- Practice navigating challenging conversations
- Practice using tools to create cultures and structures within their organizations more conducive to accountability
- Learn the seven steps of mediation and how to apply them
The cohort includes:
- 30 hours of training on the root causes of conflict within organizations, as well as creating cultures and structures that are more conducive to accountability, including 12+ hours in direct mediation training
- Two (2) practice labs to deepen your skills
- One (60 min) coaching call with trained practitioners for personalized support
- Moving through conflict toolkit and workbook
Note: Limited space available to ensure it is highly interactive.
Schedule:
The cohort will meet during on the following dates in March & April. Participants must be available to attend all sessions.
- Saturday, March 2, 2024 | 12 pm – 6 pm ET / 9 am – 3 pm PT
- Monday, March 4, 2024 |4:30 pm – 7:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm PT
- Wednesday, March 6, 2024 |4:30 pm – 7:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm PT
- Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm PT
- Saturday, March 23, 2024 | 12 pm – 6 pm ET / 9 am – 3 pm PT
- Wednesday, March 27, 2024 | 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm PT
- Wednesday, April 3, 2024 | 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm PT
- Saturday, April 13, 2024 | 12 pm – 6 pm ET / 9 am – 3 pm PT
- Practice Labs:
- Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | 4pm – 6 pm ET / 1pm -3 pm PT
- Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | 4pm – 6 pm ET / 1pm – 3 pm PT
Topics Include:
- Defining conflict, harm, safety & violence
- Interpersonal dynamics vs organizational shortcomings
- How do we navigate culture and conflict
- Structural approaches & organizational practices to move through conflict
- Understanding and assessing the root causes of conflict
- When is a mediated conversation necessary vs other approaches to conflict?
- Seven steps of a mediation, from a values-aligned perspective
- Intensive practice in the seven steps of mediation
Practice Labs & Coaching Call
Each organization that attends will be able to schedule a one-hour (60-minute) coaching call with one of our practitioners to receive personalized support for conflict issues they’re facing in their organization.
Two practice labs are scheduled in the two weeks after the program for participants to explore emergent topics and continue learning and building skills in mediation and conflict.
Application Process
This program is designed for movement organizations who are ready to engage in building their skills to lead through conflict and who have the capacity to send at least two members to fully participate in the program for the entire week, as well as practice labs and coaching calls.
Groups interested in applying can submit the application by January 15, 2024. It takes around 10 minutes to apply. Groups who are new to VCW may be asked to do an intake call with one of our facilitators. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.
Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Queer, and Trans-Led organizations will be prioritized. Organizations will be selected based on their capacity and commitment to implement and absorb the support and their need for conflict intervention.
Cost:
The full cost of the school is $4,000 for 2-4 participants from one organization. At least two participants are required to attend. Information on the Solidarity Scholarship and payment plan can be found in this application. After acceptance, a non-refundable $250 security deposit is due by February 1, 2024. Full payment is due by March 1, 2024, unless on a payment plan.
Scholarships
To make our trainings as accessible as possible, Vision Change Win offers scholarships to groups representing BIPOC, low-income folks, Immigrants, Queer or Trans folks, Disabled folks, or other marginalized communities, as well as volunteer-run groups. As such, VCW invites groups with an annual budget under $400,000 to apply for a Solidarity Scholarship and/or payment plan. To apply for a scholarship, please fill out the Organization Application and select Yes when asked about the scholarship.
Trainers
Sala Cyril, Session Trainer (link to bio)
Lindsey Charles, Session Trainer & Coach
Lindsey Charles is a licensed social worker and a certified health coach with over 10 years of nonprofit experience. Lindsey has worked as a social worker in educational settings and provides technical assistance best practices for staff working with youth. As the Associate Director of Support Services at FEGS (Federation Employment Guidance Services) she supports 13 teachers at schools throughout New York City, supports them with trainings, technical assistance, and innovative protocols to more effectively work with young people.
As a former Co-Chair of the Audre Lorde Project’s Board of Directors Lindsey, provided fiscal oversight, fundraised, and led board recruitment efforts to support the organization’s management and development. She’s passionate about social justice, wellness, violence prevention, food justice and reducing staff burnout.
Lindsey facilitates the six sessions dedicated to learning how to lead mediations. She is also available for the included coaching calls for participants.
Ray Sukin Klauber, Session Trainer & Coach
Ray is a consultant at Vision Change Win who enjoys developing programmatic structures that increase sustainability and shared power for front line staff, as well as the communities they serve. They are a mixed race, Eurasian & Ashkenazi, trans, trauma/crisis intervention specialist, mediator and facilitator who has been working in non-profits for the past 20 years. Ray is currently a Healing Justice Coach with Collective Justice providing one-on-one coaching for staff and members who hold restorative justice circles in and outside of prisons. They are also part of a number of formations building infrastructure and intervening in community crisis without state interference.
As a dedicated direct service provider, Ray has spent years in radical harm reduction settings. They have supervised programs, milieus and county-wide events, as well as supported hundreds of young people and dozens upon dozens of front line staff. As a popular education curriculum designer and facilitator, Ray has conducted hundreds of trainings, support groups and retreats for adults and young people alike across the country. Their commitment to collective liberation has taken them wherever young people can be found, from streets to schools, from drop-in centers to jails and foster care. Ray strives to cultivate spaces safe enough for people to dream, laugh, grieve, learn, love and practice.
Ray leads curriculum development for the conflict cohort, application review, and also facilitates a session on power dynamics. They support the entire cohort and lead two practice labs, as well as being available as a coach for participants.
Accessibility
This program is offered in English. Closed captioning will be available for all sessions. ASL interpretation is available if needed. We will connect with participants to learn more about access needs once they are accepted.
Context
As a movement laboratory, VCW has a birds-eye view of the most pressing issues among movement-based organizations. Our trainers have 10-30 years of experience within movement spaces as organizers and leaders and have deep knowledge of moving through conflict while centering radical values.
Last year, one in four requests to Vision Change Win centered around support for working through and with internal conflict. We, as movement organizations, are struggling to continue the work of organizing our communities and fighting against oppression while meeting organizational ruptures with the kinds of skill, prevision, and internal structures needed to navigate these growing tensions in a values-aligned way.
We invite you to join the Transforming Conflict cohort, where your organization will learn liberatory mediation, with the politics and values of movement organizations at the center. Participants will examine what organizations need regarding skills and tools to transform conflict as it arises.
Click here to see the Frequently Asked Questions
Without shifting our focus to repairing our relationships, our movements will rot from the inside out.
-Ejeris Dixon