About a dozen Youth Outreach Workers from Fall River and New Bedford gathered on the second floor of the Veterans' Memorial in Fall River to engage in a day-long  workshop on "Dealing with Conflict Effectively" on June 3, 2008. The training was conducted by Gail Packer and Christopher Littlefield of the Community Dispute Settlement Center in Cambridge, MA. Topics included conflict escalation and strategies for de-escalation and prevention as well as a discussion of personal experiences with conflict. Afternoon exercises used the Deal with Violence Differently (DVD) model that includes listening and reflection skills and reframing as techniques that the Outreach Workers can use in their everyday work with young people. The Youth Outreach program is organized under the City's Shannon Grant as part of city-wide gang violence prevention efforts in the two cities. Click here for photos of a recent Youth Outreach Event and here for one of last year's training events. For more information about the project, contact Youth Services Director Christian McCloskey at 508-324-2419.