About us

The Nonviolence Training Project

Whether used by a community to resist a toxic waste dump or by an entire country to overthrow a military dictatorship, the methods of nonviolent action have proved powerful tools in the hands of ordinary people.

In Australia, nonviolence has a long association with the movements for environmental protection, nuclear disarmament and international solidarity. Nonviolent tactics including strikes, boycotts, marches, sit-ins and blockades have played a key role in movements for the rights of women, workers and indigenous Australians.

Nonviolence training has a role to play in all cultures because so few human institutions teach us how to deal constructively with conflict. Usually, we are taught to avoid it or leave it to the authorities. Neither of these paths are open to people who actively confront violent conflict or injustice.

Nonviolent social change requires organisation, discipline, persistence in the face of repression and strategic application. Whether oriented towards reform or revolution, these skills can be learnt and systematically applied.

The Nonviolence Training Project, initiated by Pt'chang in November 2004, has the following four goals:

• to promote the use and effectiveness of nonviolence within social change movements and within interpersonal relationships through the provision of high quality and accessible nonviolence trainings

• to develop and organise professional development and networking opportunities for new and experienced nonviolence trainers around Australia

• to collate and develop nonviolence training resources including a trainers’ manual

• to organise a series of nonviolence workshops around Australia in the lead up to the National Nonviolence Gathering in April 2005

> Download Pt'chang's report on the first six months of the Nonviolence Training Project. (pdf, 314k)

Pt'chang

Pt’chang was a Nonviolent Community Safety and Peacekeeping Group that assisted community groups and grassroots organisations to create safety in a wide range of areas and situations. Pt’chang provided training, community education and fielded nonviolent community safety teams at events and festivals for over ten years until it folded in early 2007

Contact details:
Archives, reports and Pt'chang resources available at: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ptchang

Partners

The Nonviolence Training Project would like to acknowledge the generous support of the following partner organisations:

Donald Groom Peace Committee

The Donald Groom Peace Committee works for a nonviolent world through promotion of and training in nonviolence, organising the Australian Campaign Against Arms Trade (ACAAT) and administering the Donald Groom Peace Fellowship, a grant which enables individuals to work on projects for nonviolent social change.

Contact details:
Donald Groom Peace Committee
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Australia Inc.
PO Box 1529 Atherton QLD 4883
Ph/fax: +617 4096 3236
E-mail: acaatcyberwizards.com.au
Web: http://www.quakers.org.au/dgfpeacefship.html

The Mercy Foundation

The Mercy Foundation was established and is supported by the Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney. Its purpose is to provide financial and moral support for people who want to work together creatively for the elimination of poverty and injustice.

Contact details:
The Mercy Foundation Ltd.
PO Box 3221 Redfern NSW 2016
Ph: +612 9699 8726
Fax: +612 9699 9657
E-mail: mercyfoundationozemail.com.au
Web: http://www.mercyfoundation.com.au