wfn.org | School mediator plants seeds of peace

[BethAH <BethAH@mbm.org>]

June 27, 2001
Beth Hawn
Mennonite Board of Missions
(219) 294-7523
<NEWS@MBM.org>

June 27, 2001

School mediator plants seeds of peace in Northern Ireland

ELKHART, Ind. (MBM)  The religiously divided city of North
Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a city with a history of violence.
It is here that Emily Stanton, on a one-year assignment as a
school mediator with Mennonite Board of Missions, wants to bring
a small measure of change.

My main focus is about trying to build something, [to] plant a
seed that is sustainable beyond me, she said.

On a cold winter day this past January, Stanton arrived in
Belfast to a warm welcome by both the church community and the
school administration.  Fortwilliam Presbyterian Church not only
planned her living arrangements, but also supports the project,
which takes Stanton into Castle High School and Currie Primary
School.  Students come mostly from working class Protestant
neighborhoods that have suffered a lot during the years of
violence and where the influence of Protestant paramilitary
groups is strong.

At Castle High, Stanton is involved with the Year 8 students
(comparable to seventh-graders), while at Currie Primary her work
began with P6s, who are the equivalent of fourth-graders in this
country.

What I have been trying to do, she said, is help the schools
develop a program that can be integrated into the school system
that will build positive relationships among the school
community, and develop skills for dealing with conflict in
constructive ways.

I am impressed with the very positive response Emilys work is
receiving from both the high school and the church after just a
few months, said J. Robert Charles, MBM director for Europe
following a May visit to Belfast.   She has stepped in with
confidence and competence to make an immediate contribution,
which is always a challenge in a short-term assignment.

Stanton comes to the job with a degree in conflict transformation
from Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.), and has an
ongoing involvement with peace and reconciliation issues.  She
first came to Northern Ireland in 1992 to study conflict
resolution at Earlham College, a Quaker school in Richmond, Ind.
Later, she lived and worked at the Corrymeela Community, a
Christian-based peace and reconciliation group working to build
relationships across social divisions.

This prior involvement laid the groundwork for her current role
as a school mediator.  It has also given her a broader
understanding of many of the issues and complexities of the
conflict among the youth of Northern Ireland.

My previous relationships  some going on nearly 10 years 
created the foundation for this particular short-term project,
she said.  Many of the resources and contacts are now paving the
way for the work that I am doing in the schools.

Stanton spent her first few weeks in Belfast meeting faculty and
staff, observing classes, and meeting with local community groups
to learn more about the area.  As part of her work, she has also
been researching what other schools are doing in Northern Ireland
and getting a picture of potential approaches to deal with the
issues surrounding violence.  She has been looking at several
different programs that help build self-esteem, positive
leadership and conflict-management skills.

In early March, she began a series of student workshops at both
schools dealing with the issues of conflict, fighting and
bullying.  While the workshops involve practical experiential
learning activities, time is spent talking about violent
behavior.  At times, Stanton says, it has been amazing to hear
such young students share their personal experiences and
perspectives on violence, grief and loss.

I would be lying if I didnt admit that it is often difficult to
know how to respond, she said.

In addition to these workshops, Stanton is also working with the
school administration in trying to develop restorative responses
to some of the disciplinary problems.  It is important, she said,
that students understand the harm done by their infractions
rather than receive a typical punitive response.

So far, she has had the opportunity to intervene several times at
both schools.  Some involved bullying, while another involved
harassment of an elderly couple that lives near the school.  In
these situations, the goal was to develop ways for students to
understand the impact of their behavior on others, rather than
resorting to the traditional school punishments such as detention
and suspension.

For example, in the harassment case, the boys wrote letters of
apology followed by two weeks of volunteering at a local nursing
home.  The couple phoned the school to say they were pleased with
the letters and voiced their appreciation for the apology.  In
addition, the boys have asked if they can continue to return to
the nursing home on a regular basis.

While change takes time, especially in a city like Belfast with
its long history of violence, it is incidents like this that
serve as an encouragement to Stanton.  During her six months
there, she says, she has seen the opportunities and possibilities
for the work of a school mediator to continue on a long-term
basis.

There is a strong openness on the part of the staff, faculty and
administration for the work that is being done, she said.  And
they are willing to engage in the risk-taking nature of this
work. This openness is an exciting and rich fertile ground to
begin to plant seeds.

* * *

Siegrid K. Richer for MBM news