RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

1. RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

2. RESTORATIVE PRACTICES What is it? “...the philosophy and practices ...which puts repairing harm done to relationships and people over and above the need for assigning blame and dispensing punishment. Restorative practices stress the importance of relationships over and above rules. It seeks at all times to restore the relationships between people when these have been damaged by inappropriate or offending behaviour.” Source: http://www.transformingconflict.org/Restorative_Approaches_and_Practices.htm

3. What does it look like?

4. How does it work? • Implementing restorative practices takes time... and practice...  • Those who are involved in the damaged relationship will need to employ skills such as: • active listening • participating in dialogue and problem solving • listening to and expressing emotion • empowering people to take ownership of their problems

5. So.... What’s the first step? A restorative approach to conflict or wrongdoing consists in asking 4 simple questions: • What has happened? • Who has been affected? • How can we involve the people affected in finding a way to move forward? • How can everyone do things differently in the future? Now Let’s Practice!

6. The Scenario: Girl Drama Karen and Courtney are students who attend the same high school. The girls had been good friends until Courtney began hanging out with a different group of girls in school. Karen feels somewhat rejected because Courtney doesn’t want to hang out with her anymore. Instead of approaching Courtney about her feelings, Karen decides to “get even”. During gym class Karen has her friend Paula watch the change room door while Karen breaks into Courtney’s locker and steals her gym clothes and cell phone. Paula and Karen later show up to gym class saying they were held up in their Science class. Seeing how upset Courtney is about her clothes and phone, Karen feels like she has “won” and continues to target Courtney. Karen starts spreading rumours to anyone who will listen about Courtney, saying that “Courtney said Sarah [another classmate] is ugly and doesn’t shower.” As a result of the rumour Sarah confronts Courtney, who denies the accusation and says she has no idea what she’s talking about. Courtney says someone must be making the rumour up and doesn’t understand why people are being so mean to her. She goes home early, crying and worrying that everyone hates her. Meanwhile, many other kids are teasing Sarah about being ugly and not showering. Sarah’s friends, who know the rumours are not true, are beginning to make rude comments within earshot of Courtney whenever they see her, believing that she is responsible for the rumours about Sarah. Watching the situation spiral out of control, Paula decides to tell Mrs. Dunbar, one of the school’s guidance counsellors, about what is happening. Mrs. Dunbar decides the girls need to come together and have a group conference to resolve their issues and decide what can be done to make things right.

7. With your partner... • Brainstorm possible answers to the four questions (what happened, who’s involved, how can everyone involved move forward, and what can be done differently in the future?) • Consider: What would normally happen to each of the girls involved once the school is made aware of the situation? (Karen, Courtney, Sarah, and Paula) • How effective are punitive consequences like detentions and suspensions? • Do you think these relationships can be repaired? How could it happen?

8. Different Situations, Different Practices We will be focussing on three restorative practices that facilitators can use when building relationships and managing conflict: • Peer Mediation • Circles • Victim/Wrongdoer Mediation

9. Peer Mediation • Specially trained youth who resolve conflicts among their peer group • It is their job to remain impartial and to listen to both sides • They help all members to consider the problem as a shared one that needs a joint solution.

10. Circles • Enables the members of a group to get to know each other and, by doing so, to develop mutual trust, respect, and concern for their well-being • Used widely for team building and problem solving activities

11. Victim/Wrongdoer Mediation • Someone acknowledges that they have caused harm to another person and both sides agree to see how the matter can be put right (with the help of an impartial mediator) • Victim impact statements are often read by surviving family members to criminals convicted of heinous crimes – they provide an opportunity for the victim’s voice to be heard and their suffering (and that of their families) to be acknowledged

12. Why do we use Restorative Practices? • The people who are best placed to resolve a conflict are those who are directly involved. • Imposed solutions (consequences like detentions or suspensions) are called “punitive” and are likely to be less effective, less educative and possibly less likely to be honoured.

13. Benefits in a School Setting • Everyone actively listens to each other • Bullying and other interpersonal conflicts are reduced • Recognizes the basic need to belong and feel valued • Responds to behaviour with efforts to reconnect (and not further disconnect) young people • Increases the ability of young people to take responsibility for their choices AND gives them more opportunities to do so