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Little Rock Conflict Transformation Initiative
October 2008

Just Communities of Central Arkansas (JCCA) collaborated with over a dozen organizations from government, community, university and religious communities in the Little Rock area to conduct both basic and advanced conflict transformation training for religious, business and community leaders in October. 

This extension of the Plowshares’ Cities Project has equipped almost 100 people to proactively use skills of conflict transformation in community conflicts throughout Central Arkansas.  Following an introductory training for JCCA board members and selected community leaders, the program launched three rounds of basic training and two advanced training sessions which concluded with the sessions in October. The advanced training focused on equipping participants to teach the peace skills curriculum to their own constituencies and the wider public. The participants in the final workshop formed a new coalition between JCCA, the City of Little Rock Commission on Racial and Intercultural Diversity, African-American and Anglo Church based peace groups, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a coalition of Latino leaders. This coalition will develop a network of mediators and conflict transformation trainers who will be available to address ongoing conflicts in Central Arkansas.

This community resource in Little Rock follows similar networks of Plowshares trained peace-builders in earlier Cities Project sites including Los Angeles where there are now 2500 trained community leaders and Hartford with more than 200.  Plowshares is pleased to have been able to facilitate this contribution to US peacebuilding.  Plowshares staff  members , Barbara Headley  (an independent consultant and a Plowshares board member), and Michael Mata (former coordinator of the Los Angeles Cities Project and current staff at World Vision)  shared leadership for the Little Rock workshops. 

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December 2007

Following meetings with a broad diversity of Little Rock community leaders, Plowshares staff and board members of  Just Communities of Central Arkansas (JCCA) planned three intensive workshops focused on skills of conflict transformation and community networking. Bob Evans and Barbara Headley, a consultant and trainer in the Hartford area, led the first of three sessions for approximately 40 different Little Rock residents each session over a six month period beginning in November. A separate session in April of 2008 will focus on equipping local trainers to develop skills and approaches to lead independently the workshops in Little Rock communities.  This workshop will also include Michael Mata, a Hispanic colleague from California, who will bring his extensive experience in conflict transformation to this workshop.

Although the course will be designed specifically to meet expressed needs in Little Rock, it will follow approaches that were originally developed in South Africa and adapted for communities in the U.S.  Plowshares staff has equipped numerous volunteer teams of community mediators and local trainers in several cities including Austin, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida; Los Angeles and Philadelphia. The staff is looking forward to working with energetic and dedicated community leaders in Little Rock.

The Clinton Library, located in Little Rock, has an exciting and highly competitive academic program in its new Masters degree in Public Service. The two-year degree, which includes in-depth experience in a developing country, is awarded by the University of Arkansas. Plowshares staff members have led an intensive introduction to community mediation for the first three groups of students. This past September the class included 30 students chosen from throughout the U.S., and included international students from Africa, Europe and Latin America. Students selected for the program must have previous outstanding life experience in the field of social service.

This is the first Master of Public Service (MPS) in the U.S. The curriculum focuses on working within a diverse ethnic and professional community, developing leadership skills, and conducting extensive cross-sectoral field work with non-profit organizations, business, and government.  The program aims to develop leaders able to work around the world to increase global equity.  The program includes field placements locally in the Mississippi River Delta and internationally around the globe