Coaching

PCA is unique by its regular use of coaching. PCA peace coaches meet our programme participants on regular individual basis and help them apply non-violence in their daily lives by talking about the situations they go through and thinking of how to apply non-violent approaches and principals of conflict transformation.

Coaching is a very interactive tool that helps PCA reach its aim that people start really living in a non-violent way.

PCA supports communities, individuals or groups to put their learning to practice by working together on solutions to the practical problems they face in their communities and their day today life. To help them to do this we also help them to develop their analytical and problem solving skills, and the space and skills to further develop their relationship with each other. Our peace coaches help communities to implement strategies they choose to solve their problems. This planning and implementation of community initiatives gives people the experience of working together, it builds their confidence, and strengthens the capacity of the community as whole.

However, workshops and community initiatives are not enough to really embed the changes we are aiming for. Throughout the process of our projects PCA provides a continuous supportive presence. Participants receive ongoing coaching and support from the trained PCA staff to help them to put their leanings (see conflict transformation and non-violence) into practice.

Our teams have frequent informal contact with participants, groups and wider community; they visit and talk with them in their homes and workplaces to help them to become more self-aware, self-reliant and self-confident.  PCA teams see themselves as a real part of the communities they work with, taking part in village and family celebrations and welcoming people from the target groups to the office as they would visitors to their home. At the same time they also model the sort of non-violent behaviours, which we are encouraging the communities to adopt.