AVP Ireland

12/06/2026

Don't forget to vote for AVP! ☺️

Help us expand our impactful work in prisons across Ireland and reach more people, organise more workshops, and facilitate more community gatherings.

👉 Please take 1 minute to nominate us here: https://aib.ie/personal-forms/community-fund

What to include:
Charity Name: Alternatives to Violence Project Ireland
Charity Registration Number: 20045609
Charity Location: Greater Dublin
Social Theme: Education and Opportunities

Thank you so much for your support!

Every single nomination makes a difference, so please share widely 🙌

28/05/2026

We’re delighted to be part of this Erasmus+ consortium led by AONTAS, and we look forward to creating further training and learning opportunities for our volunteers and staff to enrich our work in prisons and beyond!

28/05/2026

We have a chance to unlock €20,000 in funding for AVP Ireland 🚀

But we need your help!

One quick nomination could directly support the expansion of our impactful work in prisons across Ireland, helping us reach more people, organise more workshops, and facilitate more community gatherings.

👉 Please take 1 minute to nominate us here: https://aib.ie/personal-forms/community-fund

What to include:
Charity Name: Alternatives to Violence Project Ireland
Charity Registration Number: 20045609
Charity Location: Greater Dublin
Social Theme: Education and Opportunities

Thank you so much for your support!

Every single nomination makes a difference, so please share widely 🙌

26/05/2026

A big thank you to Social Justice Ireland for inviting us onto their podcast to speak about our work and the transformative impact of creating spaces for dialogue, reflection, and community.

It was a pleasure to join the conversation and discuss topics including masculinity, violence prevention, patriarchy, and community responses to harm.

You can listen to the podcast here: https://socialjusticeireland.podbean.com/e/228-sji-interviews-ep136-alternatives-to-violence-project-ireland-with-lisa-oelschlegel-and-robert-cullen/

Lisa Oelschlegel, Coordinator of the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) AVP Ireland in and Robert Cullen, a past participant of the AVP Project, chat with Susanne Rogers, our Research and Policy Analyst about the work of AVP and the transformative impact it has on individuals and . They discuss the systemic and individual responses to how is to be expressed, how and interact and how alternatives can be found.
We also touch on Robert's separate work with Success Stories and recent research with the IPRT.

To listen to the podcast check: https://socialjusticeireland.podbean.com/e/228-sji-interviews-ep136-alternatives-to-violence-project-ireland-with-lisa-oelschlegel-and-robert-cullen/

21/05/2026

If you’ve been thinking about volunteering with AVP and would like to find out more about what’s involved, come join our upcoming online info session on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 at 6pm.

Send us a message or email us at [email protected] to receive the link.

We’d love to see you there!

19/05/2026

From every corner, for every cause 💫

AVP workshops in Irish prisons are co-facilitated by people in custody as well as community-based volunteers. Likewise, participants are a mix of people in custody and people from the community. Together, they create spaces grounded in nonviolence, mutual support, and connection. This approach of shared leadership and collaboration is at the heart of our work.

For many of our volunteers, their engagement with AVP over the years has been a deeply meaningful and rewarding experience.

A huge thank you to everyone inside and outside prisons for the care, commitment, and presence you bring to every gathering, workshop, and conversation. 💙

If you would like to become part of this amazing community, reach out at [email protected] to attend our next information session!

18/05/2026

As part of National Volunteering Week, we want to say a huge thank you to all of our AVP volunteers!

Across the country, our volunteers consistently show up to create spaces for learning, reflection, connection, and community. Through workshop preparation, facilitation, support, and countless conversations, they have made the work of AVP possible for more than 30 years.

We’re deeply grateful for the care, commitment, and energy our volunteers bring to the AVP community. 🌱

14/05/2026

It’s often said that we have one mouth and two ears - a simple reminder to listen more than we speak 🙊

In AVP workshops, this simple idea carries a much deeper meaning in practice. We witness it in every circle, shared story, and in moments between people who begin as strangers and gradually become community.

Listening deeply means listening with presence, attention, and heart. It means creating space where people feel safe to speak, be vulnerable, and share what needs to be said. A kind of listening that is active and intentional. It means not interrupting, not rushing to respond, and not judging, but rather staying present with compassion and curiosity.

For many, this is a completely new experience. It can even feel uncomfortable at first. When you're not used to your voice, your story, or your perspective being genuinely received, it takes time to trust the space. But when that trust grows, something shifts, and connection deepens. 🙌

05/05/2026

The AVP International Research Team is embarking on an exciting project to build the evidence base of AVP’s work in prisons across the world. This initiative will help deepen our understanding of the impact of AVP workshops, strengthen our practice, and support the development of future programmes across the network.

We’re delighted that AVP Ireland is represented by our coordinator, who is part of the team driving this collaborative international effort. 🚀

Research helps us understand the real impact of AVP, especially in prisons, where transformation, healing and personal growth can change lives.

Do you facilitate AVP workshops in prisons? Have you seen the impact firsthand? Would you like to contribute ideas, experiences or simply learn more? Now is the time to join the conversation.

The AVP International Research Committee is developing a research project to measure the impact of AVP in prisons and invite the international AVP community to be part of it.

Your voice, experience and insight helps shape meaningful research for the future of AVP.
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Aidez-nous à explorer l’impact d’AVP dans les prisons. Vous êtes invité(e) à contribuer à la création de nouvelles recherches AVP. Rejoignez la prochaine réunion du Comité de Recherche International d’AVP afin d’aider à développer un projet visant à mesurer l’impact d’AVP dans les prisons. Tous les membres d’AVP sont les bienvenus. Des traductions Zoom seront disponibles.

La session aura lieu le lundi 4 mai à 13h00 UTC.

Envoyez un e-mail à [email protected] pour recevoir le lien Zoom et rejoindre la discussion. Nous avons hâte de vous voir.
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Ayúdanos a explorar el impacto de AVP en las prisiones. Estás invitado(a) a ayudar a dar forma a nuevas investigaciones de AVP. Únete a la próxima reunión del Comité Internacional de Investigación de AVP para ayudar a desarrollar un proyecto que mida el impacto de AVP en las prisiones. Todos los miembros de AVP son bienvenidos. Habrá traducción disponible en Zoom.

La sesión tendrá lugar el lunes 4 de mayo a las 13:00 UTC.

Envía un correo electrónico a [email protected] para recibir el enlace de Zoom y unirte a la conversación. Esperamos verte allí.

30/04/2026

Our first Erasmus+ mobility comes to a close as our volunteers head home from Warsaw. ✨

Over the past three days, they explored trauma-informed facilitation, reflected on its links with nonviolent communication, which is also an integral part of AVP workshops, and exchanged ideas in an intercultural learning environment with practitioners from other contexts. The training offered space for reflection, new perspectives, and plenty of inspiration for continuing to strengthen our facilitation practice.

Lots of food for thought as they bring this learning back, and we’re excited to hear more and integrate these insights into our AVP workshops and wider community.

We’re very grateful for this opportunity, made possible through Erasmus+ Adult Education and the ongoing support of Léargas. ☺