2. Connect people to organizations that are working to build peace and prevent conflict in their communities and beyond, as well as develop activities if nothing exists.
Alliance for Peacebuilding Members Working in the U.S.
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has local projects in 19 U.S. states; their projects focus on racial justice, immigration, policing, and/or world peace. Get involved and learn more here.
Global Communities’ programming in the United States focuses on health, safety, education, and economic opportunities. Get involved and learn more here.
Initiatives of Change U.S.’ Freedom and Healing Community Cohort pairs BIPOC youth with mentors in Richmond, VA. Learn more here.
Mennonite Central Committee has initiatives on disaster response, food, water, health, education, migration and refugees, climate change, peace, poverty reduction, justice and equity, and indigenous neighbors. Learn about their work and volunteer opportunities here.
The National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) has 184 community mediation center members; each center has its own policy on volunteers. Learn more and find contact information for all centers here.
Police2Peace offers a “peace officer” program and training to reframe the relationship of police to their communities, as well as outlines how community members can organize a community-police event or start a community police relations group. Learn more here.
Rotary clubs have many projects in the U.S.; each club determines what projects it will work on, and virtually all Rotary projects rely on volunteers. Find a club near you here.
The TRUST Network Is establishing a network of collaboration for peacebuilding, social justice, and democracy work, including a citizen-run Early Warning Early Action infrastructure in the U.S. ahead of the 2024 elections. Learn more here.
Urban Rural Action has projects in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Oregon in which diverse groups of local volunteers work together on community projects of their choice. Learn more here.
AfP Youth-Focused Organizations Working in the U.S.:
Brethren Volunteer Service places youth and others in long- and short-term positions in non-profits. Learn more here.
Bridge USA is a youth-led nonprofit organization that creates spaces on high school and college campuses for open discussion among students about political issues. They encourage students to start or join a chapter on their own campus and provide some guidelines for these chapters to hold roundtable discussions, speaker events, and other gatherings. Learn more here.
Citizens for Global Solutions runs Model UN and sponsors book/discussion clubs, including World Citizen Clubs at universities. Learn more here.
Creating Friendships for Peace operates In New Hampshire, Oregon, DC, California, and Texas, and works with families in the U.S. to host youth from Cyprus, Northern Ireland, and the Middle East. Learn more here.
Generations for Peace has sports and arts program in Chicago, and provides mentoring for youth to prevent violence. Learn about their work here.
NewGen Peacebuilders/Youth and Peace in Action (YPA) provides virtual and live peace education, training, and mentoring for schools, teachers and students. YPA has reached 8,000 students, teachers, and supporters and certified 2,250 young peacebuilders. Its students have initiated 100 peace projects. See more information on how you can involve your school here.
Rotary Interact (for youth aged 12-18) and Rotaract (for 18 and older) clubs work with youth significantly. Like other Rotary clubs, some have projects in the U.S.; each club determines what projects it will work on; virtually all Rotary projects rely on volunteers. Learn more here.
AfP College and University Members in the U.S.
American University, School of International Studies, International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program (Washington, DC)
Arcadia University, International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program (Glendale, PA)
Avila University, Buchanan Initiative for Peace and Nonviolence (Kansas City, MO)
Brandeis University, M.A. in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence (Waltham, MA).
Eastern Mennonite University, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (Harrisonburg, VA).
George Mason University, Jimmy and Rosalynn School for Peace and Conflict Resolution (Arlington, VA).
George Washington University, Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs (Washington, DC).
Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Tufts University, Program on Negotiation (Cambridge, MA).
SUNY Binghamton University, Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (Binghamton, NY).
Juniata College, Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (Huntingdon, PA).
Kennesaw State University, School of Conflict Management Peacebuilding and Development (Kennesaw, GA).
Kent State University, School of Peace and Conflict Studies (Kent, OH).
Middlebury College, Kathryn Wasserman Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation (Middlebury, VT).
New York University, School of Professional Studies, Peace Research and Education Program (New York, NY).
Purdue University, Purdue Peace Project (West Lafayette, IN)
Syracuse University, Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (Syracuse, NY)
University of California, Irvine, Center for Citizen Peacebuilding (Irvine, CA).
University of Denver, Conflict Engagement and Resolution Initiative (Denver, CO).
University of Massachusetts-Boston, Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance (Boston, MA).
University of Notre Dame, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies (Notre Dame, IN).
University of San Diego, Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies (San Diego, CA).
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Institute of World Affairs (Milwaukee, MI).