Welcome to SWIVL

SWIVL 2015 GOALS

1. Rescue and rehabilitate dogs abandoned in the desert.
2. Expand land and build facilities for abused goats, hogs, and other farmed animals.
3. Increase cat and dog spade and neuter work and education programs.
4. Work with animal rescue organizations on the Arizona – Mexican border.
5. Organize school – community educational programs to reduce animal cruelty.
6. Advocate for an animal abuse registry to inform and educate the public about animal abuse.
7. Promote legislation with severe penalties for animal abusers.
8. Educate youth and community groups and organizations about the cycle of violence.
9. Register as a safe haven shelter for animals that come from abused homes.
10. Work with community and elected officials to protect animal victims of family violence.

Please click here if you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to help SWIVL achieve its 2011 Goals.

SWIVL in the Community

SWIVL has been actively out in the community describing the relationships among animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence.  While there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of organizations that inform and educate the public regarding violence, SWIVL promotes the view that violence is indivisible; violence towards any feeling, being should be not be tolerated under any circumstance.  According to Dr. Kathleen Wishnick, Co-Founder of SWIVL, we must stop violence at all levels: animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence.  Child abuse and domestic violence is on the increase because we have ignored the powerful relationship between animal cruelty and all other forms of violence.  When it comes to violence, it doesn’t matter if nonhuman animals speak or walk on two legs, all that matters is that they feel pain.  Your tax-deductible support will help SWIVL end violence through community action and legislative support.

SWIVL to be at Animal Rights Conference

Dr. Kathleen Wishnick will represent SWIVL at the Animal Rights (AR) Conference 2010, the world's largest and oldest animal rights gathering.  The Conference will take place in Washington D.C., July 15-19^th.  AR 2010 is the animal rights movement's annual national conference.  No external contributions to SWIVL were used to support Dr Wishnick’s attendance at the AR Conference.

Animal Rights 2010 is a forum for sharing experience, giving information, reporting on progress, discussing what works, networking, learning new strategies, training, and education.  The Conference brings together a diverse set of individuals and organizations concerned about ending the oppression of animals.  Wishnick is specifically interested in finding out about volunteer recruitment and intern programs, fundraising strategies, and the latest in farmed and companion animal facilities and equipment.

Volunteer with SWIVL

Become a Southwest Institute for ViolenceFree Learning (SWIVL) Volunteer. Become part of a growing movement for ending the cycle of violence.  Unlike other programs and strategies that focus only on animal abuse, child abuse, or domestic violence, SWIVL takes the approach that violence is indivisible and that animal, child, and domestic violence are cut from the same cloth.   Formed in 2003 as a 501(c)3, SWIVL is a nonprofit organization established to respond to the growing state of violence and discord in our families, communities, nation, and world.  SWIVL believes the first place to start is with the torture, abuse, and animal abandonment. 

SWIVL has no paid staff.  All contributions go directly to SWIVL programs and services.  Please contact SWIVL if you are interested in volunteering for any of the activities below:

• Volunteer and learn how to be a humane educator in the classroom.
• Volunteer to develop and maintain farmed animal habitats.
• Volunteer as a community organizer to help build a sanctuary for dogs that are abandoned in the desert.
• Volunteer as a veterinarian to provide free spade and neutering clinics in the Arivaca, AZ community.
• Volunteer as an intern to assist in the general health and welfare of farmed and companion animals.
• Volunteer as part of the SWIVL speaker’s bureau for community events and meetings.
• Volunteer as a guide for individuals and groups that visit SWIVL.

Please contact SWIVL if you are interested in volunteering for any of the above activities.

April Book of the Month - "Please Stop Laughing At Us" by Jodee Blanco

Each month SWIVL features a book that exemplifies the spirit of ViolenceFree.  For the month of April 2010, SWIVL recommends a wonderful author and advocate for ending violence.  

Don’t be a victim!  That’s the clear and simple message from Jodee Blanco, author of the best-selling book, PLEASE STOP LAUGHING AT US. 

Bullying, like animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence is a disease that must be eradicated from society and Blanco describes a number of actions that children can take, including:

- Realize there’s nothing wrong with you

- Reacting to the moment, not later

- Reaching out to a parent or other individuals of authority

Ideas to stop the bully are promoted by Blanc through stories, examples, and most of all action.   Ignoring the abuser – the bully – will not make him or her go away.  SWIVL encourages schools officials, teachers, parents, and community leaders to review the work of Ms. Blanco and visit her web site.  

To end animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence, we must focus on the act of violence and recognize that the abuser does not care who the victim is – it is the abusive act itself that gives pleasure and motivates the abuser. 

It’s time to get serious about the bully; an important first step to ending the cycle of violence.

SWIVL Brisenia Flores Memorial Award

On March 11th, the Southwest Institute for ViolenceFree Learning (SWIVL) presented the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award to four sixth graders from Sopori Elementary School.  Each student described their relationship with a companion animal and how they became more responsible and a better person.  Students received a certificate of success and a $25.00 gift card.

Sopori Elementary Principal Desi Raulston & 6th Grade Teacher Mrs. Gettinger with the four SWIVL Brisenia Flores Memorial Award Winners

The SWIVL Award acknowledges the beauty and creative spirit of children – a spirit that was exemplified by Brisenia Flores.  Brisenia’s young life was tragically taken through a brutal and senseless killing.  According to SWIVL co-founder, Dr. Kathleen Wishnick, the Award pays tribute to Brisenia and promotes the view that our schools should encourage compassion, creativity, and responsible behavior. From this Award, SWIVL hopes the dreams of a little girl will be realized through the lives of other children.  According to Wishnick, we celebrate the young life of Brisenia and we hope that good people everywhere will keep her memory alive.

 

SWIVL endorses the view that ViolenceFree can be created through personal self-reliance and accountability in a culture that encourages a strong work ethic, independence, and innovation. Through a learning environment, based on the Golden Rule, our schools can create relationships that are ViolenceFree.

Working for Beauty, Compassion, and Innovation in our Schools

There is no time in our schools for beauty, compassion, and innovation.  What makes us human – our desire for freedom, creativity, and love – is being pushed out of the way by teaching practices that are being strangled by excessive rules and regulations.  Educators are finding less time to teach the arts, music, and creativity in the classroom.  Instead of teaching our children to be intuitive, critical thinkers we are developing students that are only able to regurgitate facts.  SWIVL works with parents, teachers, and school officials to develop classrooms that integrate state standards with a compassionate, humane educational environment.   One SWIVL initiative is the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award.   This initiative encourages a civil, compassionate teaching and learning environment where children increase their capacity to be responsible, resilient students.

 

Brisenia Flores Memorial Award Encourages Academic and Social Development

Most parents hope their children will grow up to be self-reliant and independent adults.   Parents want their children to be well-rounded, caring, and thoughtful thinkers.  While mothers and fathers appreciate the need for academics, standards, and tests they know that without a sense of responsibility and discipline, all the academics in the world won’t matter. Children are not small adults that can be programmed to behave, respond, and react.  Anyone who has been a parent or a teacher knows that children are naturally creative, kind, and engaging.  Children are also compassionate and kindhearted with a unique quality of care for companion and farmed animals.  Just take a look at elementary school text or story books and you will find a strong sense of morality based on fair play and compassion for all.  Children seldom make a distinction between humans and nonhuman animals, expressing respect, dignity, and love for both.  Our schools need to take advantage of this powerful bond as it can act as a catalyst for a multitude of learning experiences.  Continue reading.

The relationship between children and animals was expressed so eloquently by the four sixth graders who were SWIVL Brisenia Flores Memorial Award winners.  In multidimensional terms, students told their stories with both their heart and head.  With pictures and words, contest winners expressed their joy and love within a climate of accountability and dedication.  Students gave voice to the value they felt for their animal friends and how their relationships taught them many lessons.  Students became aware of their feelings by recording and reflecting on the values and beliefs they practiced when taking care of their animals.   Students expressed attention, pride, commitment, responsibility, and appreciation for their animals – all qualities we hope our children achieve. 

The purpose of the SWIVL Brisenia Flores Memorial Award is to acknowledge the beauty and creative spirit of children – a spirit that was exemplified by Brisenia Flores. Brisenia’s young life was tragically taken through a brutal and senseless killing. According to SWIVL co-founder, Dr. Kathleen Wishnick, the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award not only pays tribute to Brisenia, the SWIVL Award also promotes the view that our schools need to encourage compassion, creativity, and responsible behavior in our children. Dr. Wishnick believes our schools are becoming less civil and more violent.  According to Wishnick, the rush to standardize and regulate our schools has resulted in few opportunities for our children to become independent and self-reliant. Instead, Wishnick believes our schools need more parent and family involvement and more community-based partnerships.

 

SWIVL promotes the view that ViolenceFree can be created through empathy and compassion in a school-community culture that encourages a strong work ethic, independence, and innovation. Through compassionate behaviors, based on the Golden Rule, our schools can create student-to-student relationships that are ViolenceFree.  SWIVL collaborates with parents and families, teachers and school officials, and community and business leaders, to create a culture of success where all individuals have the freedom to explore and maximize their talents and strengths.  Starting with children and their families, SWIVL is committed to creating a world that believes all children have special talents that should be nurtured and valued in our school-communities. Through the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award, the relationships that children have with companion and farmed animals provide wonderful opportunities to develop caring, concerned, and compassionate behaviors.  From this Award, SWIVL hopes the dreams of a little girl will be realized through the lives of other children. According to Kathleen Wishnick, we celebrate the young life of Brisenia and we hope that good people everywhere will keep her memory alive.

March Book of the Month - "How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids" by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer

Each month SWIVL showcases a book that exemplifies the spirit of ViolenceFree.  For the month of March 2010, SWIVL recommends a wonderful story that shows how daily interactions either fill or empty our personal bucket with good or bad stuff.  Using the bucket as a metaphor, How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids, by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer, instructs us that every moment matters.

Each of us has an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it's empty, we feel awful. Yet most children (and many adults) don't realize the importance of having a full bucket throughout the day.  This is a great book that can be used in the classroom and home.  Teachers and parents can use this book to help children understand the importance of their relationships with other children and adults.  Reading this book, children will not only learn the importance of their talents and strengths but that the talents and strengths of others need to be valued and appreciated.

The Bonds that Educate for a Lifetime

United by the belief that bonds with companion animals contribute immeasurably to children's development and education, more and more teachers, parents, administrators and education policy makers are recognizing the importance of integrating animals into the teaching and learning process.  At a time when resources are limited, we are required to rely on those educational practices that have worked over time.  We know that children have a strong affinity for animals – just take a look at the number of books for children that involve animals.  Companion animals are inextricably linked with intense emotions that run the gamut from joy to sadness – all involving animals.  Everyday experience and observation show how children relate their lives to animals, with major developmental incidents that have lifelong implications.  Companion animals should matter to educators and parents, if for no other reason than that they matter so much to children.  Click here for animal stories.