Mediation is only one pathway to conflict resolution. An alternative approach, the Restorative Justice approach, centers the relationship itself—ensuring that every person involved is treated with dignity, listened to fully, and given space to share how they have been affected. This restorative model broadens the focus beyond just solving the problem to repairing harm, rebuilding trust, and supporting the well-being of everyone involved.

Restorative Justice Practices provide tools to address one another when we don’t agree, as well as providing opportunities to create a sense of community among circle participants.  The growing interest in these practices gives me hope. 

In some cases, our focus becomes to teach Restorative Practices skills to a small group of individuals within the community, so that they are empowered to use these tools as needed going forward. This is capacity building: the process of developing a community’s ability to address issues in a way that will help them fulfill their mission.

What does it mean to be a Circle Keeper? What do they do and why are they important? In Restorative Practices, both talking circles and circles to address harm are facilitated by a Circle Keeper who is responsible for guiding the group through a process that helps all feel comfortable participating and directs the conversation toward its intended purpose.

A highly supportive work culture provides the safety to learn and grow, raise concerns, and try new things. Restorative Practices provide a process for establishing group norms, managing expectations, and developing the interpersonal skills essential for collaboration.  

Chronic trauma can cause serious problems with learning and behavior. Students who act out due to anxiety and/or trauma need safe, supportive consistent classrooms and a respectful, consistent and collaborative approach to discipline.

This time of quarantine and remote schooling has presented unique challenges for all of us working in fields that typically rely on face-to-face communication. We feel for everyone who has had to shift and adapt their work rapidly while keeping up with the changing demands of this unpredictable situation. As we continue to communicate with one another remotely, we are all doing the best we can to use existing online platforms to enhance relationships and community, which is more essential than ever. And, we have had some wonderful experiences doing just that! Here are some things we have learned about facilitating Community Building Circles on Zoom.

How do we respond to injustice and wrongdoing--as individuals, as a group, as a community or society?  For many, the response is that there are punishments for breaking rules. That has become our norm in the courts, in schools, and often in families.  For several decades now, there has been an increasing awareness of other approaches to wrongdoing based on the ideas of Indigenous Peoples around the globe.