Peace is a central concept in youth work

 A long journey might seem daunting, but it usually pays off. Metsäkartano Youth Centre in Rautavaara seems tailor-made for adventure education. Perhaps it was indeed made for that purpose. The environment provides immediate access to nature just outside the door, offering lakes, forests, and trails. 

I participated in an Erasmus+ project organized by Outward Bound Finland in collaboration with the Outward Bound Peacebuilding partnership organization. The theme of the project was peace education through adventure education, which may sound a bit clumsy in Finnish, but wow, what a great, rewarding, and inspiring training it was. 

 The week included workshops led by excellent trainers on the principles of peace education, peer-led practical methods, and a low-threshold winter adventure in Tiilikkajärvi National Park, where we had the chance to experience and live the principles of adventure education through experiential learning. The week also deepened my own values, for which I want to work. 

After a couple of months of processing, my internal turmoil has settled, but the days following the project kept my mind buzzing with reflections on the experience. I have pocketed many useful methods and skills for future youth work, including practical methods and the expertise to use them. The warmth and inner peace exuded by the trainers, along with their belief in their mission, was also heartwarming. That kind of presence is contagious. 

Different types of peace 

One of the “aha” moments I had during the week related to the concepts of positive and negative peace. When people are asked what peace means to them, many respond with terms like: sitting quietly and alone at the end of a pier, staring at the water, getting into the woods alone or with a dog, watching trees without other people around, etc. Why do we answer like this? This can be called negative peace, meaning peace outside the community, away from other people. 

 Can peace be found elsewhere? Could it be internal? Could positive peace mean that we enjoy being in a community and bring good vibes with us? If I have inner peace and can resolve conflicts peacefully, I create joy and meaning around me and am likely more productive for society. 

Adventure education and youth potential 

 When working with young people, adventure education aims for the growth of human potential and social cohesion. Adventure education is rarely done alone, although programs often include solo components. Peace education uses the same perspectives, and this encapsulates my week’s experience. We cannot live in a vacuum nor avoid conflicts, but we can learn to resolve them peacefully and pass on this knowledge to handle future conflicts better. Conflicts in the forest are often resolved on the spot so that we can move forward. Thanks to transfer effects, we can also learn in the forest and apply this knowledge in the future, such as in school or work life. 

 The benefits of positive peace to society 

 I recommend this kind of training to everyone, especially leaders and politicians, to increase humane and respectful encounters in society. The same could be said to benefit larger communities, like cities. If any readers think that peace education is nonsense, let’s look at it from an economic and financial perspective. 

 Many studies prove that a well-being person copes better, is more productive, and more beneficial to society. The Positive Peace Index (PPI) measures various factors of positive peace and compares them between countries. The index tracks annual changes and highlights areas for improvement. An increase in the index correlates directly with a country’s GDP. Studies show that countries with a high positive peace index are better prepared to withstand crises, have thriving economies, healthier and happier people, and citizens who are satisfied with their living conditions. 

Positive peace is not just the absence of conflicts in society. It also considers conditions that promote societal well-being and development. Positive peace is defined by attitudes, institutions, and structures that create and maintain peaceful communities and societies. Elements of positive peace include good resilience, economic growth, effective governance, and social cohesion. 

We cannot succeed in living without conflicts, but we can learn to resolve them better. We can also face them together with young people and support them in learning how to face and overcome them. Nature helps with many things, and learning different things in nature leaves a memory trace that can be carried into city life and personal experiences. I, for one, am a strong advocate for this and will continue to encourage people to enjoy nature, respect it, and perhaps challenge them to find new potential within themselves in nature. 

 The author has participated in several Erasmus projects and is still enthusiastic about their impact and significance for participants. International activities have enabled both professional development and a wide network of friends. 

Original source: The Institute for Economics and Peace: Positive Peace 2023 Briefing. Artificial intelligence has been used to help translate the publication.

The blog text is part of Peacebuilding skills for Youth Workers to prevent discrimination and to build more equal, inclusive and diverse communities project. The project is financed by the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the content of the publication.