A newly published impact study shows the exceptional results of the Peace Education Program. ACE Insights Research, an unbiased third party research group from New Zealand, has done a thorough impact assessment on the Peace Education Program offered by The Prem Rawat Foundation. In 2019 alone, the program had 36,000 attendees in 36 countries.The program has been conducted in 681 correctional facilities worldwide since 2012.
At its core, the interactive, multimedia Peace Education Program teaches participants how to tap into their own inner resources to improve their self esteem and help them to make better choices.
The ACE survey of 604 inmates from four continents in seven countries was conducted in 2018 and 2019. This study clearly illustrates the effectiveness of the Peace Education Program in changing the lives of the inmates. “We found that these results were very similar for all demographic groups, across different countries, for males and females and different age groups, suggesting it has universal appeal,” says Donald Sheppard of ACE Insights.
The survey contained 10 growth areas for the participants to report behavioral and attitudinal changes before and after the course . Incredibly the survey found that nine out of 10 inmates had made positive changes in one or more areas of their lives after participating in the Peace Education Program. The five most prevalent changes reported were: realizing there is still time to change, finding a willingness to change, the ability to face past events, feeling empowered to take control of their lives, and the ability to manage their anger and control fighting.
The data collected, both quantitative and qualitative, strongly endorsed the efficacy of the program and shed light on the tangible results the inmates gained from the experience. The study showed that more than half of them reported changes in at least seven of the 10 areas.
One participant from Golden Grove Prison in Trinidad and Tobago said, “No matter how much wrong I may have done in the past, the program made me aware that there is still time for reform.” Another participant at Metro West Detention Center in the U.S. responded, “I see a lot of hate in this world, and I apply the program teachings to bring peace to myself and others.”
Positive, life affirming responses are sincerely felt and commonly heard.
The Peace Education Program by Prem Rawat, international peace ambassador, has spread far beyond correctional facilities and is now being taught in schools, homeless shelters, drug rehabilitation centers and more. There are a variety of ways to facilitate the workshops in person and virtually, and all materials are made available free of charge. To read the full report, click here. To learn more about the Peace Education Program visit The Prem Rawat Foundation website here.
