Straus Students Empower Community Members in Pilot Project
A pilot project led by professor Helen Winter of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, in collaboration with R3SOLUTE 2.0, offered valuable support to community members such as facilitators, workers, and immigrants with volunteer students as conflict resolution trainers. The project focuses on teaching essential skills like conflict resolution, negotiation, and emotional resilience.
The goal is to establish a community conflict resolution lab at Pepperdine that empowers community members by providing them with the tools and skills needed to effectively navigate and resolve conflicts in their environments. This initiative deeply resonates with Pepperdine’s mission to serve the community by empowering individuals for lives of purpose, service and leadership.
Research assistants Jaivi Verma and Yejin Seo, along with student employee Griffee Mapps, public services supervisor Faraz Shahlaei and five volunteer Straus students, collaboratively designed conflict resolution workshops grounded in multiple needs assessments and interviews. These assessments helped ensure the workshops addressed the real-life challenges and everyday conflicts participants face. Using interactive methods such as role-plays, real-life scenarios, and peer-to-peer discussions, the workshops equipped participants with practical tools to navigate cultural differences, build community, and gain confidence in both personal and professional settings.
One of the key workshops was for workers at the Malibu Labor Exchange. This workshop was held for two days, teaching participants the basics of negotiation, active listening, and ways to manage difficult conversations with employers and co-workers, improving their chances of securing fair pay and better working conditions.
Another workshop focused on the needs of Afghan refugees through the Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Services organization. This workshop was divided into two parts. The first part helped build community and trust through group activities, giving the participants a chance to connect with each other in similar situations. The second part focused on emotional resilience, helping participants build confidence and manage internal challenges like self-doubt and trauma, which many refugees face in their new lives.
In partnership with the International Rescue Committee, the team delivered a concise but impactful workshop for Ukrainian refugees. This session introduced essential negotiation skills with a focus on salary negotiations, using role-play and a framework to boost participants’ confidence in approaching challenging conversations.
In partnership with the Conejo Valley Unified School District, the team led a three-part workshop series for paraeducators and facilitators. The sessions focused on practical skills such as active listening, emotional regulation, cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, and navigating power dynamics. Through interactive role-plays, participants also practiced parent engagement strategies using the EAR (Empathy, Attention, Respect) method to build trust and respond effectively to emotional situations in school settings.
The impact of these workshops has been very positive, clearing the way for the Community Lab at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law to proceed. The official class will be launched in Spring 2026. Participants have shared how the training helped them understand conflict resolution better and gave them the confidence to handle various situations more effectively. Many appreciated the interactive nature of the workshops, especially the role-playing exercises, as they made the lessons feel more real and applicable to their own experiences. Oscar Mondragon, director of the Malibu Community Labor Exchange, shared: “Happy, excited and inspired. I found that when you engage the workers in ways that they have to reflect on negotiation skills, that makes the program really special and valuable. I hope it is not the last time we do it - let’s plan for a second time, because once the workers know what you’re talking about, they relate to it, and that was nice to see. Beyond my expectations.”
Reflecting on her experience, Verma shared: “This project was like stepping outside the comfort zone and seeing things from another perspective. Designing the workshops, meeting with the participants, understanding their lives and cultural sensitivities, and conducting the sessions brought me a sense of inner peace. All that Straus teaches you in a classroom setting truly comes to life in the field. As a Research Assistant, I had the chance to study these experiences more deeply and contribute towards it from a research lens, analyzing qualitative data, contributing to an upcoming publication from the project, and exploring how conflict resolution theory connects with real-life experiences on the ground.”
The project aims to expand its reach, deepening its impact across more communities and tailoring future workshops to address emerging needs. The success of these initial sessions reflects a strong and growing demand for support that empowers community members such as refugees with practical conflict resolution and negotiation skills. The positive reception and meaningful engagement from participants highlight the program’s effectiveness and potential for long-term sustainability.
The pilot project is making a significant and lasting difference in the lives of community members. By equipping them with crucial tools to navigate their new environments, both socially and professionally, the workshops are fostering confidence, self-reliance, and empowerment. With an optimistic outlook, the team envisions expanding this model to create a broader network of support and learning, ultimately building stronger, more resilient communities.
Please contact Professor Winter with any questions or ideas to make the Community Conflict Resolution Law a success at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.