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Beginning January 2003, OFBF's Agricultural Ecology department will begin offering workshops that inspire cooperation rather than resistance. "The intent of the workshops is to introduce techniques to help people redirect their frustrations and put their energy toward building partnerships and finding solutions to conflicts in a cooperative way," according to Marilyn Baker, OFBF director of community alliances. "Conflict comes from not having our needs, values or expectations met, and we fare better if we know how to work toward cooperative outcomes. Each of us has remarkable inner resources to do this."

"Project Connect: One Conversation at a Time" is a program being developed by OFBF in partnership with the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution, OSU Extension and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Soil and Water Conservation. All of these organizations share the belief that people’s lives can be improved by providing them with skills necessary to work with others in their community toward improving their collective well being, Baker said.

Workshops will allow participants to practice skills to be more aware, to listen without blame, to clarify values and to encourage cooperation rather than resistance. They also will introduce how to evaluate a community conflict, assemble and lead a meeting, use community resources and address the media. "The programs will include use of simulated rural neighborhood disputes and conflicts in the agricultural community," Baker said, "and will incorporate a variety of other exercises that will be fun to do."

Baker said as members learn to use community resources and develop cooperative communication skills, they should be able to reduce time, stress and energy away from unproductive conflicts, instead having time to promote agriculture and cooperative solutions for their communities' well being.

Daytime and evening workshops will be offered throughout the year. If you would like to learn more about the "Project Connect" workshops, contact Marilyn Baker at 614-346-8265 or e-mail mbaker@ofbf.org.