Minneapolis Educators Introduce Innovative Violence Deterrence Program

MINNEAPOLIS, July 29, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Universal Conflict Resolution (UCR), a Minneapolis/St. Paul violence prevention company has launched a timely and practical conflict resolution program designed for all age groups and a host of academic and business settings.

John Stewart and Tom Schockemoehl, veteran middle and high school educators, have combined their hands-on professional experience in conflict resolution to create a highly successful set of tools for teachers and business leaders.  The program was born in response to a national epidemic of school violence combined with reduced school resources for dealing with conflict and violence.

"Tom and I started collaborating in the late 1990s," said Stewart. "At that time, we both worked with adolescents, he as a guidance counselor and I as a health teacher.

The school in which they began their collaboration was experiencing rampant violence. The addition of four hundred new students yearly, plus an influx of multi-cultural challenges, and the highest staff turnover in their district created an explosive environment.

"I was dealing with conflict among parents, coaches and students," said Stewart. "I would bring Tom in to conduct mediations, talk about the sources of conflict and teach communication skills." The two eventually taught students mediation skills to practice among their peers.

The seven-unit UCR program reaches far beyond bullying to address all aspects of conflict. It consists of training materials, power points, lesson plans, small and large group activities, and posters. The goal is to give the average person a better understanding of violence and conflict as well as the tools to foster positive growth in students or employees. Materials are downloadable from UCR's website, at http://www.ucrmn.com.

Stewart and Schockemoehl come to the task with a remarkable amount of expertise. They have spent a combined thirty-five years in some of the toughest schools in the United States. Together they have managed over two thousand peer mediations and have personally trained one thousand student leaders. Stewart helped also developed an effective truancy prevention program, while Schockemoehl has been nominated Minnesota counselor of the year for his conflict resolution work.  Together they bring a rich resource to schools and businesses searching for practical, affordable remedies to resolving conflict and violence.

For more information about Universal Conflict Resolution products and services, please contact Tom Schockemoehl  (612)702-2953. http://www.ucrmn.com

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SOURCE Universal Conflict Resolution