Ready for Back-to-School—A How-To Guide for Living Nonviolently

PEACE POWER INITIATIVE TEACHES FOUR PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENT BEHAVIOR FOR SCHOOLS, HOME, AND COMMUNITY
Embargoed until July 8, 2001 12:01 AM EST

WASHINGTON—In the book Peace Power for Adolescents: Strategies for a Culture of Nonviolence to be released in July by the National Association of Social Workers(NASW), author Mark Mattaini, DSW, ACSW, introduces the Peace Power Initiative, a program which constructs and maintains a "new way of life" for everyone involved in a child’s world, an interlocking system between the family, school, peer and community cultures to reduce violence and initiate a sense of belonging for everyone.

The four principles of Peace Power—recognizing contributions, acting with respect, sharing power in community, and making peace—are designed as a flexible strategy for cultural change that is deeply grounded in what is known about effective prevention and intervention for youth violence.

Mattaini stresses that nothing is more important for preventing violence and other forms of anti-social behavior than developing cultures of recognition.

"Recognition," he says, "should be a long term strategy, constructing cultures that recognize and honor contributions and positive actions without encouraging egotism, is the single most powerful means we have for reducing violence and coercion in our society."

Peace Power programs help youth learn to communicate with each other and with adults in ways that respect everyone involved. The program stresses acting with respect for yourself, giving up self-punishment and recognizing one’s values and talents. Peace Power addresses avoiding actions that are likely to damage one’s self-esteem. It focuses on esteem builders. The program also adds dimensions to avoid coercive strategies such as threats, punishment, and needless hurt, such as bullying.

Mattaini adds that honoring the value of others also buiLDF self-esteem for everyone. "Teaching tolerance and respect for those different from oneself and action to protect and heal the environment are also part of the class of respectful actions," he says.

Bullying prevention is a piece of this puzzle, however, Mattaini says that projects should focus on constructing an environment of respect, increasing appreciation for the richness and resources of multiple cultural groups.

Sharing power involves collective action to which all contribute from their gifts, in which there is explicit recognition of the essential importance of the contribution of each, the voice of each is genuinely valued, and each recognizes that all are individually and collectively responsible for outcomes. Mattaini, with great knowledge of Native American thought, says sharing power is a way of living with others in such a way that everyone’s voices are heard and powers are recognized. For youth and those connected with youth, sharing power teaches that there are nonviolent and non-coercive ways to influence their world and guides them to discovering and creating their own power, their own ways of contributing to society.

The fourth principle, making peace, provides skills to resolve conflict and heal relationships because there will always be differences of opinion, even in a Peace Power culture. This step is built upon the research that supports the skills of problem solving and mediation being built into community cultures.

These four principles are not separate or independent but multiple, interwoven strands of an empowered culture of nonviolence. Peace Power is a flexible strategy of cultural change that constructs and maintains a new way of life for everyone involved in a child’s world.

The Peace Power strategy draws and expands on a number of programs such as the Blueprint Programs selected by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado and a few other programs with excellent empirical support.

For more information on the Peace Power Strategy or to arrange an interview with author Mark Mattaini, DSW, ACSW, please contact NASW Public Affairs at 202-336-8228.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, DC, is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with 153,000 members. It promotes, develops and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well being of individuals, families and communities through its work and through its advocacy.