MYPF Intensive Training

2015 MYPF Summer Training
2015 MYPF Summer Training

The Mike Yarrow Peace Fellowship is a year-long program, from July 1st to June 30th each year, and begins with an intensive training program for Peace Fellows in the summer. This year, the intensive training section will be online due to COVID-19, and will be referred to as the “Core Training”.   Once the academic year begins in September we will switch to online “Elective Trainings”.  Both of these are described further below. 

Core Training

The Core Training will cover 3 fundamental elements using 2 learning formats.

First will be Online Video Training via Zoom.

In July of 2022 former civil rights activists who worked with Martin Luther King will train participants in Kingian Nonviolence (learning from Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement).

Second, we will utilize individualized and small group learning to have each MYPF develop his/her/their social change program of choice. Optional video training can be taken to learn about Social Action Nonviolence: Strategic Planning and Campaign Development.  Led by experienced non-violence trainers, including the 3 MYPF Directors, the training will give each Peace Fellow a toolkit to help design and shape their own non-violent social change project. The training will also give Peace Fellows the opportunity to meet other activists and build community amongst a group of passionate young organizers.  The Core Training may only involve the Peace Fellows, the Directors and guest trainers.

MYPF Training
MYPF Training

Elective Training

After the Core Training the Peace Fellows are provided with additional elective online training for the rest of the year.  Each Peace Fellow is required to attend at least 3 of the sessions from a wide variety of topics on organizing skills and nonviolent direct action theory.  We will poll the Peace Fellows as to the topics of most interest and then develop the programs to meet those with the highest interest.

As an illustration, here is a graph showing topics and levels of interest from the 2019 Peace Fellows.

Poll on topics of interest
2019 Elective Training Poll
MYPF Training in Kingian Nonviolence
MYPF Training in Kingian Nonviolence

Ongoing Support

After the Intensive Training the Peace Fellows are expected to work on their own project or campaign.  The program provides ongoing support to the Peace Fellows by hosting Strategy Support Groups.