Using Simulation to “Test” Conflict Resolution Skills in At-Risk Youth

In this article the authors present findings from a project employing simulation exercises to provide at-risk youth in the District of Columbia with opportunities to test negotiation skills they learned in conflict resolution training workshops. Simulations can both test knowledge and provide instruction utilizing scenarios that challenge participants to formulate a response to “real-world” problems in which they play a stakeholder role. They also are used in academic settings to help students learn about the intricacies of international negotiations. However, seldom are they used to examine how effectively skills are applied in situations participants may actually confront. The program described in this article introduces young people from one of the most violence-prone wards in Washington, D.C. to conflict resolution skills of practical value to them. The capstone simulation provides an opportunity for participants to practice those skills and allows program administrators to evaluate the impact of instruction.