Around The Region

City to hold conflict resolution summit\nBloomington will hold its first annual conflict resolution summit Saturday, April 21 in City Council Chambers in the Showers Building, 401 N. Morton St.\nMayor John Fernandez said it should bring together individuals and groups across the community who are using conflict management and violence prevention strategies in schools, neighborhoods and the justice system.\n"The summit provides an unprecedented opportunity for all of us to learn about the many folks in our community working with and teaching conflict resolution and violence prevention strategies," Fernandez said. "These strategies are the foundation for building bridges across both individual and community conflict because they expand our options for solving disputes peacefully, creatively and with dignity."\nProfessor Russell Skiba, director of the Institute for Child Study, will give the keynote address. During the lunch hour, Skiba will present a workshop addressing a preventive approach to school violence that stresses comprehensive planning, instruction and collaboration. \nSkiba is also project director for the Safe and Responsive Schools Project, a three-year federally funded program working with 10 schools in two states to implement comprehensive and preventive strategies for school safety.\nThe summit is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided to participants making reservations by April 19, although walk-ins are welcome. The summit will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Registration information and an agenda are available by calling 349-3854 or e-mailing hunterro@city.bloomington.in.us.\nIndiana's faith-based groups excel at helping those in need\nA survey of more than 400 faith-based organizations in Indiana shows Hoosier groups are more likely to be involved in helping others than the national average, Gov. Frank O'Bannon said. \nThe survey was completed as part of the state's ongoing FaithWorks Indiana initiative established by the fovernor in 1999 to assist faith-based organizations in providing human services under the federal Charitable Choice legislation. \n"The study provides some interesting insights into the work of Indiana's faith-based organizations, and underlines what many of us suspected all along -- when Hoosiers are in need, there are groups willing to help," O'Bannon said. \nO'Bannon said the Indiana survey mirrored in part a similar survey known as the National Congregations Survey and provides some revealing contrasts between what faith-based organizations in Indiana are doing compared to other states. \nAmong the findings: \nIndiana congregations are more likely to participate in human services activities than are congregations nationally (79 percent in Indiana, compared to 57 percent nationally); \nA majority of Indiana congregations (58 percent) support three or more activities; the most frequently offered programs are food, shelter and emergency financial assistance; \nA small number of Indiana congregations (16 percent) receive outside funds to support their programs, but a slight majority (52 percent) are interested in governmental funding; \nMainline congregations (69 percent) are more willing to apply for government funding to support social service outreach activities than are more theologically conservative congregations. \nO'Bannon said the state will use the survey to further guide the FaithWorks Indiana initiative to help educate faith-based organizations on implementing social services and accessing public funds to serve Hoosier families in need. \nCity to sponsor free fair housing seminar\nIn recognition of Fair Housing Month, the City of Bloomington is playing host to a free fair housing seminar for tenants and homebuyers. The seminar will be held from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. April 26 in the Council Chambers of Showers City Hall, 401 N. Morton.\nJoyce Johnson, lead equal opportunity specialist with Housing and Urban Development, will be the main speaker. She will talk about fair housing law as it applies to tenants and homebuyers. Barbara McKinney, director of the Bloomington Human Rights Commission, will talk about how the BHRC works and what to do if you feels he or she has been discriminated against.\n"People sometimes encounter possible discrimination, particularly in trying to rent an apartment," McKinney said. "Instead of pursuing the complaint with the appropriate agency, they just rent a different apartment. We think it's important for people to understand their rights and responsibilities under the law."\nThe seminar should clear up misconceptions about discrimination and the law, McKinney said. \n"In particular, there is confusion about 'new' legal provisions that prohibit discrimination on the basis of familial status or on the basis of disability. This seminar will help clear up that confusion," she said.\nThe seminar is cosponsored by the City's Housing and Neighborhood Development and the Bloomington Human Rights Commission. Free child care will be provided and refreshments will be served.