~~IMPORTANT TRAINING OPPORTUNITY~~

IMPORTANT TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT-- PLEASE FORWARD TO ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT BE INTERESTED

Announcement can be downloaded at www.GangWar.com

WHAT:

The path to correcting the problem of youth violence and gangs, in part, lies with the following: "You cannot right the wrong in their world... without first understanding their world" -Tony Massar

This amazing training opportunity presented by The Finnegan Group** and produced by Steve Nawojczyk - www.GangWar.com - will be two days you will never forget. The Finnegan Group has put together some of the most amazing researchers and practitioners in the world of youth violence intervention and prevention. Participants will be able to return to their communities and immediately begin practicing what they have learned.

Former Pulaski County (AR) Coroner Steve Nawojczyk - Info Here- whose work with gangs was featured in the award-winning HBO documentary Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock will be opening the conference with his highly acclaimed "Current Trends and Realities of Youth Violence and Gangs, Posses, Cliques and Crews". Nawojczyk has lectured and researched this issue in over 40 states and has spoken to hundreds of thousands of students nationwide about the downside of gangs. His fast-moving presentations almost always win the "Best of Show" award at the various venues where he speaks.

Also presenting at this conference will be Dr. Michael Walker-Jones, an honor graduate of the University of Rochester, NY who holds a doctorate of Education in Curriculum, Human Leaning and Education Policy.*

Course attendees will also hear from Mr. Tony Massar who is a city councilman in Binghamton, New York. Massar has taken the lead on dealing with gangs and other juvenile issues in his city and recently was asked to testify before the New York State Commission on Gangs about how to recognize and deal with gangs and other youth issues. Massar has been a leader in his community by introducing legislation to deal with youth violence.

One of the most successful Police Athletic Leagues in the nation will have representatives speaking on how a community can set up a wonderful intervention and prevention program through the local law enforcement agency.

Course leaders will also be covering the art of grant location and writing suggestions and techniques.

In short, you will return to your community armed with nearly all the knowledge you need to tackle the complex issue of youth crime and its effects.

*Dr. Walker-Jones has taught at the pre-school, elementary, high school, under-graduate, and graduate school levels. As teacher and education policy advocate for the last thirty years, he has taught in the public schools of Rochester, New York where he was a federal title I program mathematics teacher trainer. He has worked with Dr. David Elkind in early childhood development studies, was an assistant professor at Boston University and the University of Louisville in Curriculum Development.

Recently he was the keynote speaker at Maltepe University, Istanbul Turkey, International Symposium “Violence in the Schools.” While serving as the assistant vice president for Health Affairs at the University of Louisville, he assisted with the recruitment, counseling, and retention of minority and disadvantaged students.

As a trained Arbitrator and conflict resolution specialist he settled over 120 individual, gang, and labor, and civil disputes. Dr. Walker-Jones has been an advocate for teachers and students through the Kentucky Education Association, the Arkansas Education Association, where he became a FOB, and currently the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

Dr. Walker-Jones is a staunch advocate of the public schools, the power of education as tool for life and personal achievement and the ability of all people to resolve conflict through non-violent processes.

Dr. Walker-Jones will inspire you and will be taking participants step by step through the process of setting up a successful peer-mediation program and other important educational concepts.

WHO:
Educators and school personnel, law enforcement officers and administrators, intervention and prevention specialists, social workers and school counselors and transportation workers. (The front line workers in other words.)

WHEN:
February 12 and 13, 2008

WHERE:
Wyndham Hotel, 2 Riverfront Dr., North Little Rock, AR. The Wyndham is right in the heart of one of the fastest growing and most exciting downtown revivals in the nation.
Wyndham's website here.

501-371-9000 for reservations. Be sure to mention the Finnegan Group conference for a special rate.

HOW:
Send check for $275.00 (prior to January 10th) or 295.00 after January 10th to:

Finnegan Group
10 Shackelford Place
Suite 201
Little Rock, AR 72211

Phone 501-975-6364


Course participants will receive extensive handouts and a letter and certificate of completion. We will work with any licensing group for continuing education credits. Course fee includes a closing banquet. THIS IS AN EARLY BIRD ANNOUNCEMENT FOR OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS in order to insure you get first shot at a seat. Information will soon be posted on our website (s).

** The Finnegan Group is dedicated to providing the most current and comprehensive training packages for educators, law enforcement and community leaders and administrators. For more information contact Stephen Finnegan at 501-975-6364 or email Steve Nawojczyk at Nawojczyk@comcast.net