What is the Peace Leader Program?

The Peace Leader Program is a six-month professional certificate course offered by JWL that aims to foster personal transformation, critical thinking, intercultural sensitivity, and servant leadership among its participants, ultimately contributing to peacebuilding in their communities.

How does JWL's blended learning model work?

JWL's model combines online components, accessed through their learning management system and a learning app for offline access, with on-site components at community learning centers or partner organizations. This allows for both self-study and in-person interaction, contextualization, and support.

What are the key impacts of the Peace Leader Program on graduates?

The program significantly impacts graduates through personal transformation (self-awareness, confidence, control), enhanced critical thinking and intercultural sensitivity, development of inner peace and servant leadership qualities, and ultimately, their contribution to building peaceful communities.

How does the Peace Leader Program foster intercultural sensitivity?

Intercultural sensitivity is fostered through online global discussions where students share experiences with peers from diverse backgrounds, and through on-site interactions where students engage with individuals from various ethnic, religious, and national groups.

What is servant leadership in the context of the Peace Leader Program?

Servant leadership, as taught in the program, emphasizes serving others first, listening, caring, and leading by example. Graduates are encouraged to embody these principles to solve community issues and become role models.

What challenges do facilitators face in delivering the Peace Leader Program?

Facilitators face challenges such as the potentially dangerous nature of studying peace in conflict zones, difficulties with internet connectivity, and the need to adapt assignments to local contexts. They also navigate the complexities of multilingual student backgrounds.

How does JWL support students to overcome language barriers?

JWL offers supporting English classes to reach the required proficiency levels (B1 for professional courses, B2 for academic). On-site facilitators also assist students in their local languages, and the program is flexible with deadlines to accommodate challenges.

How can peace leaders protect themselves in violent environments?

Peace leaders must prioritize their own safety and well-being before assisting others. Maintaining self-control, feeling comfortable and secure, and practicing active listening are crucial for effectively supporting individuals with problems.

How do graduates apply Peace Leader principles in their daily lives?

Graduates apply learned principles by becoming more available to listen, serving others, resolving conflicts within their families and communities, and acting as role models. They aim to first achieve inner peace and then extend it outwards.

What is the core philosophy behind JWL's approach?

JWL's approach is rooted in the Ignatian pedagogy paradigm, emphasizing a cycle of experience, reflection, and action. Their vision is that learning together enables the transformation of the world by fostering hope and creating a more peaceful and humane society.

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TL;DR

JWL's Peace Leader Program fosters personal growth, critical thinking, and peacebuilding in marginalized communities.

Key Insights

The Peace Leader Program significantly enhances graduates' self-awareness, self-control, and self-confidence, leading to personal transformation.

The program cultivates critical thinking and intercultural sensitivity, enabling graduates to develop more inclusive mindsets and respect for diversity.

Graduates embody servant leadership, prioritizing service to others, leading by example, and becoming problem-solvers within their communities.

The blended learning approach, combining online and on-site components, is crucial for contextualizing learning and fostering a global community of learners.

The research highlights the program's role in building inner peace and extending it to community-level peacebuilding, creating more harmonious societies.

Challenges in delivery include operating in difficult contexts, but JWL adapts by modifying assignments and providing strong facilitator support for student safety and learning.

INTRODUCTION TO JESUIT WORLDWIDE LEARNING (JWL)

Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) is a global organization dedicated to providing higher education to marginalized communities, including those affected by poverty, conflict, and displacement. Operating in 23 countries with 59 learning centers and over 7,000 students, JWL utilizes a blended learning format. Their vision is to empower individuals to contribute their knowledge to a global community, fostering hope and creating a more peaceful world. Programs are accredited by international universities, offering pathways from professional certificates like the Peace Leader Program to academic degrees.

THE PEACE LEADER PROGRAM: STRUCTURE AND PEDAGOGY

The Peace Leader Program is a six-month accredited professional certificate course designed to equip individuals with skills in peace and conflict resolution. It operates on a blended learning model, combining online resources, global classroom discussions via an LMS, and offline access through a learning app. This is complemented by on-site components, including in-person meetings, community learning centers, and peer project work. The pedagogy is rooted in the Ignatian paradigm: experience, reflection, and action, guiding students through a cycle of learning and application.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS ON PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION

An impact study for the Peace Leader Program involved over 30 interviews with graduates across five countries, including refugee camp settings. The research revealed significant personal transformation among graduates. Key areas of growth include enhanced self-awareness, enabling acceptance of challenges and emotions; improved self-control, often achieved through mindfulness techniques; and increased self-confidence, leading to greater independence and self-esteem. The program's practicum, which involves applied community projects, was vital in building this confidence.

DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING AND INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY

Beyond personal growth, the Peace Leader Program fosters critical thinking and intercultural sensitivity. Graduates develop the ability to form their own opinions, engage in self-reflection, and critically assess traditional practices. This leads to a more inclusive mindset, where they demonstrate greater acceptance and respect for diversity. The online global discussions, where students share experiences with peers from various marginalized backgrounds, and on-site interactions with individuals from different ethnicities and religious groups, are instrumental in shaping these inclusive values.

EMERGENCE OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PEACEBUILDING

The program cultivates servant leadership, characterized by a focus on serving others first and leading by example. Graduates become proactive problem-solvers, showing impartiality, empathy, and analytical skills. They often act as role models, advocating for others and contributing to their communities' development. This translates into tangible actions, such as supporting girls' education, promoting sports, or providing mental health support, ultimately contributing to the creation of more peaceful and cohesive communities.

CHALLENGES AND ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES IN PROGRAM DELIVERY

Delivering the Peace Leader Program involves inherent challenges, particularly in volatile or conflict-affected environments. Studying peace can be sensitive or even dangerous. JWL addresses this by working closely with facilitators and academic partners to ensure student safety, adapting assignments to local contexts, and prioritizing discreet communication when necessary. Flexibility in deadlines and support for internet access are provided to accommodate students' diverse circumstances. The program's structure also includes an Arabic-speaking facilitator option and English language support to address multilingual backgrounds.

GRADUATE TESTIMONIALS AND APPLICATION OF LEARNING

Graduates like Barfi Hamad and Sylvain Xavier Nkembe Kemwa shared powerful testimonies of how the Peace Leader Program has transformed their lives. Barfi highlighted overcoming anger and finding inner peace, enabling him to support his family and community. Sylvain spoke of regaining peace, confidence, and hope, becoming a servant leader who listens and aids others. Both emphasize the importance of the program in fostering personal peace as a prerequisite for extending peace to others, demonstrating its profound impact on daily life and community relations.

LANGUAGE AND MULTILINGUALISM IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

While English is the primary language of instruction, JWL actively addresses the multilingual backgrounds of its students. They provide English language training to meet required proficiency levels (B1 for certificates, B2 for degrees) as assessed by Cambridge English tests. On-site facilitators often bridge language gaps by using local languages when necessary for community engagement. The program's global nature inherently fosters intercultural communication, benefiting from the diverse linguistic skills graduates possess, which can also be leveraged for translation and broader community support.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Tools

●Organizations

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Peace Leader Program Impact: Key Themes

Data extracted from this episode

Theme	Description	Impact on Graduates
Self-Awareness	Accepting one's own challenges, feelings, and darkness.	Leads to building inner peace, better public speaking, managing emotions.
Self-Control	Learning to manage emotions through techniques like deep breathing or meditation.	Enables better emotional regulation.
Self-Confidence	Overcoming fear of experiences and becoming independent.	Leads to empowerment, increased self-esteem, and willingness to speak out.
Critical Thinking	Developing one's own opinion, becoming self-reflective, and analyzing traditional practices.	Leads to a sentiment of control over one's ideas and self.
Intercultural Sensitivity	Developing an inclusive mindset through global discussions and diverse on-site interactions.	Fosters acceptance, respect, equality, fairness, and inclusivity towards diversity.
Inner Peace	Achieving peace within oneself and aspiring to bring peace to the community.	Foundation for community peace-building and servant leadership.
Servant Leadership	Oriented towards serving others first, listening, caring, and leading by example.	Graduates become problem solvers, advocates, and role models for social change.

Common Questions

Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) is a global organization that offers higher education programs in a blended learning format to marginalized communities worldwide, focusing on fostering hope and creating a more peaceful world.

Topics

Social Inclusion Servant Leadership Blended Learning Global Learning

Mentioned in this video

personIsabella Rega

Global Research Director at Jesuit Worldwide Learning and co-chair of the session.

organizationHekima College

An accredited university that provides accreditation for the Peace Leader Program.

conceptPeace Leader Program

A six-month professional certificate program focusing on peacebuilding, self-awareness, servant leadership, and conflict resolution.

organizationJesuit Worldwide Learning

A global organization offering higher education programs in a blended learning format to marginalized communities, including refugees and displaced persons.

locationSri Lanka

Country where JWL serves formerly displaced people in remote areas.

personEphrem Hatungimana

An on-site facilitator for the Peace Leader program at JWL in Kakuma, Kenya.

personRobert Greenleaf

Developer of the concept of servant leadership.

personBarfi Hamad

A graduate of the Peace Leader program from Iraq.

personCamila Massa

Organizer of the Migration Summit, introducing the event and its purpose.

locationMalawi

Country where Sylvain Xavier Nkembe Kemwa is currently living in a refugee camp and graduated from the Peace Leader course.