OUR COLLABORATORS:
Manchester University:
In 2015, ECR entered into a collaboration with MU, to implement a series of on-site trainings designed to bring an understanding of conflict resolution and communication skills to persons working in business and industry.
"Manchester University (MU) and Education for Conflict Resolution, Inc. (ECR) have a long history together, rooted in a shared commitment to peace and justice. The efforts of ECR and MU have long been intertwined: philosophically, experientially, educationally, and [in 2013], physically, with ECR's offices now on MU's campus.
ECR shares a commitment to the heart of MU's mission— valuing the infinite worth of every person, equipping people with skills to act on their values, and improving the human condition and—the soul of ECR's top priority—helping young people learn conflict resolution and life-enhancing skills.
Businesses, congregations, families, teachers, students, individuals, and others throughout the Midwest have benefited from the workshops, presentations, and trainings that ECR provides. MU's students, faculty, and staff have worked through difficult issues with the help of ECR. In addition, MU's students have carried their skills in conflict resolution out into the world to become more effective leaders, employees, and community members."
- Comments by David McFadden, Former President of Manchester University, North Manchester, IN
JDAI and the Wabash County Probation Department:
ECR's collaboration with the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) and the Wabash County Probation Department (WCPD) began in 2017 when JDAI coordinator and then chief parole officer, Trisha Hanes, agreed to apply for Indiana State grant to fund ECR's new School Attendance Mediation initiative aimed at decreasing or eliminating truancy affidavits to WCPD and the Wabash County Court system. That collaboration has now blossomed into three other ECR projects: the Incorrigibility Initiative, the Restorative Justice Project for juvenile offenders under 18, and a program to improve teen parenting by offering Wabash County parents a workshop on “Parenting the Teen Brain.” All of these initiatives have been generously supported by JDAI funding.
The Indiana Youth Institute and the Lilly Grant Foundation:
In the fall of 2023, ECR received a $20,488 grant from the Lilly Foundation through their “Supporting Youth Programs in Indiana” (SYPI) initiative. As part of this initiative, the foundation collaborates with the Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) to offer no-cost workshops and trainings on both youth issues and non-profit management topics. The staff at ECR have attended many of these training sessions to stay informed about these youth issues and how they might impact our School Attendance Mediations. In addition, IYI holds an annual multi-day conference in Indianapolis to which two of our staff members are invited to attend at no cost. In addition, ECR will be working with IYI on a free consultation project in the Spring of 2025.
The National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM):
ECR is a member of this national mediation group because it provides professional advice, the latest in mediation center research, and grant opportunities. In 2023 ECR's School Attendance Mediation program (SAM) was featured in an interview with ECR Executive Director, Linda Troop, on the NAFCM podcast and YouTube channel video program, “Here to Hear - Keeping It 100.” Click the following link to watch the video of the interview:
Wabash County United Fund:
Education for Conflict Resolution, Inc. (ECR) is pleased to be a 2025 recipient of a $1,000 grant from Wabash County United Fund (WCUF). Because of WCUF’s annual Golf Outing and other WCUF sponsored events, ECR gets to meet the community and make its presence and services known to a wider audience in Wabash County. ECR is grateful for the many ways the Wabash County United Fund supports our community.
Wabash County Diversity Coalition:
The Wabash County Diversity Coalition (WCDC) sought out ECR in the fall of 2022 to ascertain whether we could work with the coalition to bring anti-discrimination ordinances to Wabash County and North Manchester, Indiana. When the Anti-discrimination ordinance was passed by the North Manchester town council in 2023, ECR was named in the ordinance as the first line of defense against discrimination. The anti-discrimination ordinance specified that “A person found in violation of the ordinance for the first time and the complainant shall enter into a mediation through Education for Conflict Resolution [to be] paid for by the North Manchester Human Rights Commission.” More recently, the WCDC requested that ECR play a key role on the WCDC Listening Committee in order to facilitate complaint conversations about violations of the city’s ordinance.
The North Manchester Town Council:
When the Town Council of North Manchester, Indiana, passed a city anti-discrimination ordinance in 2023, it included in “the penalty for violation section” a statement specifying that “A person found in violation of the ordinance for the first time and the complainant shall enter into a mediation through Education for Conflict Resolution and paid for by the North Manchester Human Rights Commission.” ECR is appreciative that the North Manchester Town Council recognizes its role in resolving community conflicts.
Manchester Alive:
Manchester Alive is a valuable resource for the community because it functions in North Manchester like a chamber of commerce does in most larger cities. Its monthly newsletter sometimes contains ECR announcements, workshop or training notifications, and marketing ads. In addition, Manchester Alive, sponsors monthly community events like “Second Fridays” which allows ECR to organize a table that informs community members of ECR's mission and services and aids us in becoming a presence in the community.