ANNUAL REPORT INSTITUTE FOR PEACE AND COMMON GROUND
2017
Content Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 About IPCG .................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Our fields of expertise ................................................................................................................................................ 1 Network of practitioners ............................................................................................................................................ 1 IPCG in faces ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Accomplishments ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 2017 Financial overview ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Future Goals ................................................................................................................................................................ 1
Introduction 2017 was a turning point for IPCG. We faced challenges on professional and organizational levels. Current situation in Ukraine showed us that we need to modify our approaches in work and organizational structure according to current demand to organization working with conflicts. To answer challenges, we started our transformation from revision of our mission and strategic plan. It helped us to priorities our spheres of interests. We turned our focus more toward peace making processes and soft security issues. This year we worked on
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Involvement of communities’ members into work with safety & security issues. We want to develop such road maps (or model systems) for different type of communities (United Territorial Communities, communities of particular settlements, regional centres etc) Prevention of the proliferation of violent conflict by helping communities to establish their own conflict resolution mechanisms, which enable inclusion of different stakeholder groups, and foster dialogue and collaboration between them. Building communities capacities to design and implement DDR programs in Ukraine with focus on reintegration.
The report reflects all transformations IPCG went through this year, presents our achievements and future goals.
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About IPCG The Institute for Peace and Common Ground (IPCG) is a leading Ukrainian non-governmental, non-profit organization that specialises in facilitation and dialogue with a view to helping groups and communities achieve positive and sustainable change. Originally formed as the Ukrainian Centre of Common Ground, IPCG has 20 years of experience of introducing and promoting participatory and restorative practices, including community-based juvenile crime prevention, mediation, family group conferences and decision-making circles. IPCG works in communities and schools in 17 regions of Ukraine.
“We help to find common ground in situations of conflict and decision-making processes” We are a group of professionals who work professionally on understanding through learning and rebuilding / rebuilding interaction at the level of individuals, communities and the country at large, trying to change the work approach from a missionary “ready answers” to a joint search for future & shared vision of people and communities. We exist for individuals and groups who have a request for assistance in transformation of conflicts in decision-making and social crises at the local, regional and national levels in education, restorative justice, decentralization and overcoming the manifestations of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine We are working on conflict transformation and negative individual or group experience through facilitation, "restorative mediation", training and dialogue.
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Our fields of expertise Restorative practices in communities We strive for positive changes in the environment of every person, their development and creation of a socially conscious society of the country. The development of people through the learning of the art of dialogue is the key area of the "Institute for Peace and Common Ground." The process comprises a combination of a variety of techniques and procedures ranging from training to mediation - that helps people understand and, therefore, develop a safe community and create a climate of peace and support. In the framework of this direction, IPCG is engaged in activities aimed at strengthening the peacekeeping capacity of communities. Implementation of restorative justice Restorative justice – is a process, managed by a mediator, due to which a delinquent and a victim discuss together the situation that has occurred and decide about further resolution of a conflict and restoration of harm. This approach allows participants to make their own decisions to resolve conflict and to take responsibility for consequences of this situation. A court usually takes this decision into account during sentencing. Practices that are used in restorative justice are the following: • • • •
mediation between a victim and delinquent, circle of social justice, family conference, forum of civic justice.
Restorative practices in schools This direction of the IPCG activity – implementation of restorative practices at schools – is a holistic and comprehensive approach that combines the efforts of school administration, staff, parents and pupils for building an atmosphere of respect, care and responsibility. The key element – is formation of school services for common ground (SSCG) – platforms, where trained studet-mediators help their peers to resolve conflicts through co-operation. This allows children to take responsibility for solving conflicts, to find a common ground with peers and build relationships in the co-operative manner. Practices that are used in the school services for common ground are: • • •
peer mediation, circles, conferencing (with the assistance from an SSCG Coordinator – usually School psychologist).
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Network of practitioners IPCG works through an extensive network of experts, dialogue facilitators and regional members whose work includes mediating community-based multi-party negotiations in cross-cultural contexts, facilitating organizational development processes, and providing education and training on conflict resolution, mediation, and negotiation. In total, the network encompasses 17 regional organizations and some 30 civil society activists committed to working for peace and common ground in their communities. IPCG maintains this network by providing regular training on mediation or dialogue facilitation, mentorship, methodological assistance to its members and communication via joint web-platforms. IPCG is looking to institutionalise this network by establishing a resource centre or a network hub that would better be able to meet the capacity needs of its members.
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IPCG in faces Organisation structure
Team In 2017 IPCG team extended. We are 9 in core team. Roman Koval – Head of the Board, leading expert on restorative practices, mediator, trainer Alyona Horova – Board Member, leading expert on restorative practices and leading methodologist for IPCG training programs, mediator, trainer Iryna Gorova – Executive Director of IPCG Daria Bielinska – Projects Coordinator Lisa Koval –Expert on restorative practices in schools, mediator Viktoria Sheret – Projects Assistant Juliya Demchuk – PR Manager Anastasiya Verymeychuk – Administrative Assistant Inna Vyshnyak - Accountant
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Accomplishments Restorative Practices in communities
✓ Our experts together with partners developed Recommendations for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) for Ukraine.
✓ IPCG helped 7 civil society organizations from 7 regions of Ukraine to build their capacities to work on the design of a DDR program for their regions and the implementation of its activities in accordance with it.
✓ Together with ELVA and IPCG created a system for monitoring security incidents in 9 communities in the grey zone and helped to implement 9 projects aimed to meet security needs of target communities which were designed with the participation of representatives of the communities themselves through dialogue processes.
✓ A strategy for strengthening community capacity in the field of security has been developed and tested. 11 communities have developed the potential to implement security initiatives with help of IPCG.
✓ Designed and successfully tested new model of dialogue initiatives groups aiming to reduce pressure caused by conflict in communities in Donetsk region
✓ Elaborated first edition of Dialogue standards for facilitators in Ukraine Implementation of restorative justice
✓ Roman Koval (IPCG expert and Head of Board) has designed a 24-hour course for the students of a Master’s degree program on Mediation and Peacebuilding of The National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" and delivered it to his class in May 2017.
✓ Alona Horova (IPCG expert and Board member) continued to teach a course “Restorative Justice and Social Work” at National University “Kyiv-Mogyla Academy” for the students of School of Social Work. A 90-hour course was designed by IPCG (UCCG) in partnership with NAUKMA scholars back in 2008.
✓ IPCG have joined the Coordination Council established by the Ministry of Justice to develop a system of juvenile offenders diversion from the Criminal Justice System of Ukraine with corresponding legislation development.
✓ In June 2017 IPCG have signed an MoU with DEJURE Foundation to help develop a pilot project on juvenile diversion together with Free Legal Aid Services of Ukraine. 4 Basic Victim-offender mediation skills and process 32 –hour trainings were conducted in 4 pilot regions (Mykolaiv, Odesa, Lviv and Kharkiv) and 25 lawyers trained (to be further supervised for being accredited as penal mediators of IPCG/DEJURE pilot mediation program).
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Restorative practices in schools School centers for common ground in numbers
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100 Trained children as peer to peer mediators
Trained adults as mediators and coordinators
2017 Financial overview
IPCG was successful in attracting findings in 2017. Mainly we received funds from foreign national aid agencies from several governments and UNDP. Total income of IPCG in 2017 is 4 105 305 UAH
Expenditure in 2017 in total 4 105 305 UAH 98% in 2017 Restorative practices in communities
Restorative practices in schools
Expenditure in 2016 in total 5 330 884 UAH RP in communities
20% in 2016
80% in 2016 Restorative practices in schools
We received funding last year from:
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International Alert Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) Renaissance Foundation The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office
United Nations Development Programe
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Future Goals Extend IPCG community of professionals IPCG recognises that people are the best of its value. Next year we will continue to extend our team and network with the best experts and professionals. We will also continue to improve the unique educational environment of IPCG with a greater number of internal and external training to improve team members skills and dynamic project experiences. Because we want to help to realize the potential of all members of our team and help them make change and difference. Our strategic goal is to provide team and experts from our network with capabilities for the growth and adventures that they need to help IPCG succeed with its mission. Extend the network of partners The wide partners network help IPCG to grow professionally. We are aiming to build long lasting productive partnerships with local institutions, civil society organisations, international organisations, foreign aid agencies and international donors working with restorative practices and peacebuilding. It is important for IPCG to contribute to effort and do not replicate the work done already by other parties. Form IPCG Supervisory Board The growth is the main aim of IPCG on 2018. We want to extend our team, partners network and expertise. We want to invite professional from around the world to join our Supervision Board and help us grow professionally.
Implement more projects aiming to ground work for reconciliation processes in Ukraine We notice demand for reconciliation already despite the fact that active military actions are not finished yet. Restorative practices are good response to challenges Ukraine faces today – reintegration of IDPs and ex-combatants, polarization within communities. We already started to prepare the ground to wider future reconciliation process in Ukraine and we want to double our efforts and contribution next year.
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