Welcome to the website of the Polish Foundation for Nonviolent Communication (FPBP).

The aim of the Foundation is to spread Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to everyone and to support the growing community of those learning, living and sharing Nonviolent Communication in Poland. 

This website is constantly evolving and here you will find information about:

• upcoming events in Poland and elsewhere

• what is Nonviolent Communication?

• learning and teaching NVC

• about the Foundation

• our approach to money

• how to stay in touch with the growing NVC community in Poland

• how to contact us

• how to support our activities

• links to other organisations and people involved in NVC

Upcoming Events in Poland

BACK TO TOP

What is Nonviolent Communication?

Nonviolent Communication^SM (NVC) is sometimes referred to as compassionate communication. It's purpose is to strengthen our ability to inspire compassion from others and to respond compassionately to others and to ourselves. NVC guides us to reframe how we express ourselves and hear others by focusing our consciousness on what we are observing, feeling, needing, and requesting.

We are trained to make careful observations free of evaluation, and to specify behaviours and conditions that are affecting us. We learn to hear our own deeper needs and those of others, and to identify and clearly articulate what we are wanting in a given moment. When we focus on clarifying what is being observed, felt, and needed, rather than on diagnosing and judging, we discover the depth of our own compassion. Through its emphasis on deep listening to ourselves as well as others. NVC fosters respect, attentiveness and empathy, and engenders a mutual desire to give from the heart. The form is simple, yet powerfully transformative.

While it is taught through the use of a concrete model, and is referred to as 'a process of communication' or a 'language of compassion', Nonviolent Communication is more than a process or a language. As our cultural conditioning often leads our attention in directions unlikely to get us what we want, NVC serves as an ongoing reminder to focus our attention on places that have the potential to yield what we are seeking - a flow between ourselves and others based on a mutual giving from the heart.

Founded on language and communication skills that enable us to remain human, even under trying conditions, Nonviolent Communication contains nothing new: all that has been integrated into NVC has been known for centuries. The intent is to remind us about what we already know- about how we humans were meant to relate to one another - and to assist us in living in a way that concretely manifests this knowledge.

The use of NVC does not require that the persons with whom we are communicating be literate in NVC or even motivated to relate to us compassionately. If we stay with the principles of NVC, with the sole intention to give and receive compassionately, and do everything we can to let others know this is our only motive, they will join us in the process and eventually we will be able to respond compassionately to one another. While this may not happen quickly, it is our experience that compassion inevitably blossoms when we stay true to the principles and process of Nonviolent Communication.

adapted from Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life
by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D.

BACK TO TOP

Learning and Teaching NVC

Learning NVC involves breaking many habits that are engrained in the way we relate and communicate with each other. These are the habits that make it harder for us to get our needs met. It is also about learning how to apply a simple 4 step method in expressing ourselves and in hearing other people. The method is simply a way to help us break our habits and is not intended to be the only or the 'right' way to communicate.

Everyone learns in different ways so there are a variety of ways to learn NVC 

• Training

• Workshops

• Practice groups

• Self study

Whichever method/s we choose it is important to apply the learning and this can be very challenging when we are surrounded by people who have not yet broken the habits we seek to change. Many people have found that by joining a practice group this not only helps learn NVC but also provides a safe and supportive environment to do so.

A note on Teaching NVC
                                                                                                                               

Anyone can teach NVC or share NVC with others.

The Centre for Nonviolent Communication has a process of certifying trainers. Currently there are more than 160 certified trainers around the world who are entitled to use the CNVC name and who the Centre will recommend to anyone who approaches them asking for trainers. The aim in this process is to build a group of people who: 

• Are living NVC in their own lives
• Are competent trainers
• Have an in depth understanding of NVC
• Who work in co-operation with the larger community of people committed to NVC

The certification process is demanding -  more information can be found by following this link to the  CNVC website.

There are also many non-certified trainers who teach and share NVC but have decided, for many different reasons, not to follow the certification path. CNVC has certain requests to non-certified trainers (e.g. that they do not use the trademarks of CNVC). Please follow this link for more details on the CNVC website.

BACK TO TOP

About the Foundation (FPBP)

The Foundation was formally established in 2004 although we have been organising NVC training in Poland since 2001.

Our goal is to achieve NVC consciousness in all parts of society through a range of projects targeting specific groups such as:

• Parents, Teachers and Children
• Business people
• Government
• Media
• Prisoners
• Churches

The Foundation is organised into:

Supervisory Board 

Oversees the activities of the Foundation and meets twice  yearly

• Jacek Santorski
• Lidia Sawicka
• Malgorzata Jakubczak

Management Board

Manages the day to day activities of the Foundation and meets at least weekly. You can find contact details in the Contact Us section.

• Anna Mills
• Ewa Orlowska
• Ian Peatey
• Waldemar Piasecki

Active Supporters

Those many people and organisations who actively support us in spreading NVC in Poland.

Friends Of

Individuals who are wanting to apply NVC in their day to day to lives and receive regular information from us about our activities and learning events.

BACK TO TOP

Our Approach to Money                                                               

The Foundation is a not for profit organisation which means that those involved in the Foundation are not motivated by making profit and that all the money we receive is used for furthering our aims of sharing NVC. 

NVC can help us live in a more peaceful relationship with money where money is as an important tool that helps us achieve our aims and is not the ultimate goal. We try to apply this individually and as an organisation. 

The more money we receive, the more we can achieve.

We enjoy receiving money but only when it is given with pleasure. We do not enjoy receiving money when it is given out of duty, obligation or as a 'reward' for what we do.

We ask for money in several ways and our intention in doing so is to ask for the resources that allow us to do more training, projects and other activities. And as individuals, the more we receive relating to the work of the Foundation, the less we rely on other sources of income and the more time we can spend on the Foundation activities.

We ask for money: 

• At our trainings - those organising and running training receive 80% of any money received (after deducting any costs) and the Foundation receives 20%
• For publications - the publisher receives 80% - the foundation 20%
• For particular projects - the amounts received by those involved and the Foundation vary from project to project
• As donations - 100% of the money received goes to the Foundation.
• As sponsorship - 100% of the money received goes to the Foundation.

 The Foundation gives money: 

• For running costs (e.g. legal, accounting, office, staff)
• For organising events (venue, printing, advertising)

 As we are promoting, through NVC, a new way of dealing with money we are very happy to have a dialogue with anyone who would like to understand our approach at a deeper level. This is useful practice to us as well as it gives us an opportunity to test our approach and to remind us of what is important to us.

BACK TO TOP

How to stay in touch

If you would like to receive regular information about what we are doing and what events are coming up then please send us an E-mail containing the the information below.

There is no fee for signing up, although we request a donation in order to help us with our administration costs. How much you contribute is entirely up to you. An annual amount of PLN 100 would go a long way to helping us with our aims - though, of course, we will rarely refuse larger amounts!

Once you sign up then you will be added to our e-mail database and:

• receive invitations to all training events and workshops
• be entitled to a 10% discount on any 'fixed price' training that we may run from time to time
• be entitled to a 5% discount on any publications you buy through us

Please include the following information in your E-mail - or when you call. 

• E-mail title - "Sign up for Friends Of FPBP'
• Full name   
• E-mail  
• Telephone           
• Postal Address    
• How did you hear about NVC?
• Any specific needs and requests of us?

If you wish to be removed from the database then also send us an E-mail.  

BACK TO TOP                      

Contact Us

BACK TO TOP

How to support our activities

We welcome support of any kind that helps us meet our aims. This could be attending our training programmes, inviting us into your own organisations or communities, financial support or getting involved in the Foundation.

BACK TO TOP

Links

Here you will find links to other organisations and people who support our aims in some way.

Center For Nonviolent Communication

NVC Central and Eastern Europe contact Eva Rambala

Peacemaker Community contact Andrzej Krajewski

Other organisations that offer training in NVC

Centre for Nonviolent Communication (Worldwide)

Centrum Metodycznym Pomocy Psychologiczno-Pedagogicznej (CMPPP)

Widawnictwo Szkolne PWN

  BACK TO TOP

Introduction to Nonviolent Communication

19 May 2006 (Friday)  from 18:00

Przedszkole Korczakowskie Kajtuś Czarodziej

Warszawa, ul. ks. J. Popiełuszki 14m117

There is no charge for this workshop - and it is open to all.

You are warmly invited to come to a presentation of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) - an approach to communicating developed by Marshall Rosenberg Phd. NVC is sometimes called the language of the heart.

The Introduction will present:

• 4 steps to communicating from the heart 

-        observation without judgement

-        feelings and taking responsibility for them

-        identifying needs behind the feelings   

-        requesting without demanding

• Expressing ourselves in way that is more likely to get our needs met

• Listening to others to discover what they are feeling and needing

During the Introduction you will be shown how to apply the method to a situation that is important to you. The evening is very interactive with plenty of chance to discuss and ask questions.

Please note that the number of people coming to this Introduction might vary from 2 to 30, but will always be held no matter how many people come (unless there is no-one!).

This Introduction is run in Polish only. If you wish to attend an English version then please contact us to find out the next available date.

Information:
Waldemar Piasecki waldemarpiasecki@yahoo.co.uk tel. 0508 069936

BACK TO TOP

Nonviolent Communication in your family!

13 - 19 August 2006 (residential)

Milanówek, Near Warsaw, Poland

We would like to invite you for a week of holidays, connected with the workshop of Marshall Rosenberg communication method called Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Compationate Language or Language of the Heart. It is an opportunity to gain new skills in contact with all family members, especially in contact between parents and children.

This week is for you if you wish to:

• deepen your connection with others, especially with your child / children

• talk in a way that is heard by others so that your requests are willingly answered

• be strong, assertive and peaceful when you say “no” and when you protect your needs

• avoid shouting in conflict situations, which can be humiliating for you and for others

• recognise your habitual style of talking with others, in which you judge, criticise, reject and feel rejected, especially when you need understanding, compassion, support and contact yourself

• support your child in developing its own independence and willingness to cooperate with others, which is coming from an open, joyful and compassionate heart

• enrich your life through the ability of sharing with others the mutual respect, care, play and anything that’s really important for you.

While parents will take part in workshop activities, children above 3 will be involved in interesting and developing games under supervision of adult care-takers. Younger children may join the older, if they wish, or they may stay under parent’s care.

Afternoons are at participants’ disposal – additional workshops may be organized if wished or needed by particular people, individual talks with the trainers, meetings in groups, excursions, playing with children, music, dance ...

During the workshop, three tasty meals will be provided and accommodation in a retreat-leisure house in Milanówek. It is far from the noise of the big city, in a safe, fenced, big-gardened house, with an easy access to Warsaw.

The workshop will be translated from English into Polish.

Trainers

The workshop will be led by NVC certified trainers Karsten Schacht-Petersen (from Denmark) and Leena Maija Hurme (from Finland). All trainers are family advisors, psychotherapeutists, leading individual, family and marriage therapies as well as group trainings; they are involved in mediations at conflicts with the use of NVC method.

Money

The total cost of holidays is made up of accommodation and workshop costs:

• Accommodation and meals per week

-  adult 350 PLN (100 EUR)

-  children 3-15 years old 150 PLN(50 EUR)

-  children under 3 years old – free of charge

• Workshop per week (only adults)       

-  350 PLN per person (100 EUR)

-  500 PLN per couple of parents (150 EUR)

The number of participants is limited, we can accept a maximum 20 families - that’s why we ask for your earlier reservation (by the end of June 2006), together with a deposit of 200 PLN for the account number stated below. This amount will later be calculated in the total cost of your staying.

The above amounts are minimal to cover accommodation, travel and payment for trainers and children care-takers.

We acknowledge the fact such amount might be difficult to find for some families. However, if you really desire to take part in our holiday, please contact and declare what smaller amount would be possible for your family to pay.

We ask those of our guests, for whom these costs are not too high and who would be willing to pay a little more, to do so in order to support others.

Bank Account No. of  Fundacja Alternet, ul. Ks. J. Popiełuszki 14, 01-590 Warszawa, for which money should be transferred, with a mark: “Warszataty dla rodziców – Milanówek”:

Volkswagen Bank Polska S.A., 92 2130 0004 2001 0300 2847 0001.

Organizers

FPBP and Ola Żuczkowska

tel: + 48 22 796 33 11, mobile: 0501 059 939, e-mail: zuczek@onet.pl

Eastern European Advanced Training

One week of Living NVC

Sunday June 25^th - Sunday July 2^nd 2006

Otwock, POLAND

Welcome. My name is Éva Rambala and in the last 6 years I put my heart and most of my time and energy to spread peace in Eastern Europe in the form of teaching NVC.  Now I am at the point where I would like to manifest one of my greatest dreams, of getting together with all the people from this region who have the same dream and to learn from each other.

If you would like to support making this happen, here are some suggestions how to do it:

Come and participate.

Forward this invitation to others who might be interested.

Send us financial support.

 Send us your good wishes.

Program facilitator: Eva Rambala certified NVC trainer, and CNVC Eastern European project coordinator.

Organizer: Ania Mills aniamills@wp.pl

costs: 250 euro tuition, 350 PLN accommodation (about 95 euro)

This Week is for Those:

Who really would like to be in a “safe” environment - with people who have a strong intention to integrate NVC into their everyday life and have already put quite some effort into learning the process - and would like to try out how it is to be fully honest and how to cope with the honesty of others.

Who would like to experience how to rest in chaos, find their voice in it, how to express their wishes, how to mourn when they were just sitting on their frustrations or expressed it in a way that they wish they hadn’t. 

main language: English,

The large group gatherings will be translated into Polish, Hungarian, etc.  and the small groups optional

There will be a maximum of 40 people

20 people from Eastern Europe, many who will need some financial support and 20 people from other areas who are willing to provide extra finances to support these 20 people  and learn together with those who are working to bring peace in Eastern Europe

Requirement:

The intention to practice honesty and empathy.

At least 10 days of previous training with an NVC certified trainer.

The presentation of at least one NVC session during the week.

Experience and practice working in an  NVC team

HOW TO REGISTER:

1.        contact aniamills@wp.pl for more details and a registration form.

Some Details:

Finances:

1.        If we receive tuition of 250 Euros for each participant it would cover the costs of organizing the training and running it.  Keep in mind that some people in this region need support for travel costs and accommodation – so we are asking those that can give more to provide 500 to 1100 Euros..  If you would like to support those who have no possibility to cover their costs, and you would like to know who will receive your support, please contact Ania. aniamills@wp.pl

2.       Price of accommodation and food for the 7 days: 350 PLN (about 95 euro)

If you would like to offer us less money, please contact us and we can support you with ideas about how to find the necessary financial resources.  If you send your photo and a request in less than 6 sentences we can  put it on our website and maybe help you to find someone who would enjoy to support you.

Accommodation:

Address: ul Prusa 7, Otwock, POLAND

How to travel: nearest airport: Warsaw

How to get to the site from the airport:

take a bus 175 to the   Warszawa Śródmieście Train Station and take train to OTOCK (about45minutes ride) From the train station in OTWOCK  take a taxi ( about 8 zł= 2 euro) to ul.Prusa 7, Otwock

About the accommodation: it is a convent not a regular hotel.  Nuns are welcoming us as we invite friends to our home.  They might ask for some participation while they are serving us (doing the dishes, etc.)  For this price we can receive a decent, clean room and just enough, healthy food. They can cope with some extra wishes. Generally nuns do not cook separate vegetarian meals, but since everyone serves himself you can choose not to eat meat.

You are welcome to take some of your favorite snacks and share it with the group.

If there will be enough requests we will arrange Sight Seeing in Warsaw on the 24^th and 25^th

BACK TO TOP

3rd NVC Europe Festival in Germany

We are happy to invite you, in continuation of the last two summer festivals in Denmark and Poland, to spend an NVC-week of celebration, joy, nurturing, heart-to-heart-connection and learning with other European NVC friends in a Buddhist Centre in the lake lands of Brandenburg, 86 km north of Berlin, from July 24th to 30th, 2006.

 

We would love to provide a space

• to get in touch with the European NVC community and to connect and reconnect with other NVC fellows from Western and Eastern Europe
• to celebrate the NVC spirit and live the NVC process together
• to rediscover the beauty in ourselves and others
• to explore our personal resources, skills, talents, playfulness and creativity in a safe environment
• to reconnect heart, mind and body with each other
• to share and explore the challenges and successes of NVC in our everyday lives, with our families and friends, at our workplaces, in NVC or other social change projects and also in the NVC community

Those inspired by NVC and anxious to dive deeper into the NVC consciousness are welcome. The concept of the festival is that it will thrive on everybody's contribution and that we create this event and its spirit together. Everybody's presence and contribution are equally welcomed and valued, the experience of trainers just as the input of newcomers, may it be music, songs, dance, poetry, art, games, body work, ideas for exploring the NVC process or personal stories and example situations, whatever gets us in tough with the core of NVC and the beauty of life. Newcomers will have the opportunity to learn more about the NVC basics.

 

Following the proved structure of other NVC events, we will have a gathering in the mornings to focus the energy in the group, to remember the NVC spirit and to organise the offerings of the day. In the evening we will have a meeting to harvest what the day has brought us.

 

The Buddhist Centre Karma-Tengyal-Ling is located near the village Stechlin-Menz in the nature reserve Stechlin-Ruppin, which is part of the lake lands of Bandenburg, with two lakes for swimming in walking distance. The region is famous for its unique network of numerous lakes and over 30,000 kilometres of waterways and is ideal for canoeing. Rheinsberg, a historical town nearby, is a good starting point for canoeing tours. We recommend you to bring your bikes. There is a beautiful cycling route from the nearest train station to Menz. You will also be able to hire bikes in one of the villages nearby.

 

You can stay in your own tent, in a dormitory (mattress hall), a three-bed-room, a double room or a single room. The people at the Buddhist centre (www.karma-tengyal-ling.de - only in German)) will provide us with food and drinks but will not offer any extra service, so that the participants will have to take care of the facilities themselves, that is we will have to keep the rooms and the place including the sanitary facilities in order ourselves. You can choose between 3 or 6 nights for your stay.

Pictures from The II NVC Europe Summer Festival – Poland 2005

Prices for accommodation and meals:

* breakfast, lunch and supper

** warm supper on first evening, three meals for following five days and breakfast and lunch on the leaving day

*** per person

 

There will be enough space indoors for workshops in case the weather lets us down.

 

Please sign up until May 31st, 2006.

To sign up, click here: http://www.dojrzewalnia.pl/nvc

 

If you have any questions or need any further information, please write to me (e-mail: fischerin_b@yahoo.de) or phone me at 0049-30-74073350.

 

Looking forward to seeing you at the Karma-Tenyal-Ling-Centre!

 

Warmly,

 

Britta, Ewa, Wojtek and friends

BACK TO TOP