Pasadena - (July 8, 2005)
The Western Justice Center Foundation, (WJCF) the Pasadena- based nonprofit
leader in peaceful conflict resolution strategies, welcomed Trity Pourbahrami
as its new Project Coordinator working on the Healthy Families Cooperative .
In the first year of this three year project, WJCF will assemble a taskforce consisting
of experts and community organizations that serve parents and caregivers who
are economically disadvantaged and face specific barriers that put them at risk in
their ability to parent children from ages 0 to 5. WJCF Board Chair and founder,
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Dorothy W. Nelson stated, "WJCF is pleased to
initiate a program that is focused on children 0-5. This age group has long been
underserved in the area of conflict resolution education. We look forward to working with
existing organizations to improve conflict resolution instruction in this age group.

" Ms. Pourbahrami is an experienced mediator and facilitator. She received her Master
of Social Welfare & Certificate of Public Administration from the University of Hawaii.
Ms. Pourbahrami brings unique qualifications to the position. She has coordinated
initiatives focusing on funding strategies for family based programs, adjustment
of incarcerated parents and their families and facilitated the development of public
health training programs in the South Caucasus region. Through a year long strategic
process the WJCF, in collaboration with the task force, will produce a conflict
resolution curriculum that can be implemented in Los Angeles County as well as
nationally. Pacific Oaks College and Children's School will be assisting in the
curriculum development stage in an advisory capacity. The curriculum will be used
to train the staff of the partnering agencies as well as parents, children, and
caregivers served by the agency. Ms. Syeed-Miller, WJCF Executive Director said, "It
is imperative that the curriculum development and testing process be collaborative
and inclusive, Ms. Pourbahrami has significant experience in cross-cultural settings
which will assist in the creation of a culturally competent project." The long-term
outcome is to produce a video/DVD series that can be used to train service providers
and their clients.

WJCF invites organizations in Los Angeles County, who serve parents of children
ages 0 to 5, and are interested in receiving capacity building and conflict resolution
training for their staff and clients to contact Trity Pourbahrami  626-584-7494 ext 12).
WJCF will identify five organizations from around the county to work with on
this project. The Western Justice Center Foundation's mission is to work with children,
communities, schools, governments and courts to assure peaceful conflict resolution
and improve access to justice. First 5 LA funding for this program is provided without
endorsement by First 5 LA.