Introduction to Restorative Justice

This six-week course is designed as an introductory overview of the Restorative Justice field and its potential for making a transformative contribution at multiple levels: global, national, regional, local and personal. Each session will offer experiential learning alongside theory and resources for ‘taking it further’. The learning will be accumulative and the group will develop a life of its own, so those who register are asked to commit for all six sessions.

The tutors are excited about developing this distinctive course which introduces the key Restorative principles in different contexts and creates a group approach to problem-solving through communication, which lies at the heart of restorative practice.

• Session 1 will focus on the universal value of the Restorative model, its emphasis on shared humanity and its connections with Quaker testimony.
• Session 2 will focus on the value of Restorative practice for families and communities, including Quaker Meetings. Also the relevance for recovery from the social costs of covid-19.
• Session 3 will focus on the idea that every child and young person deserves to learn Restorative language principles and confidence as part of their education.
• Session 4 will be about the uses of Restorative justice in the Criminal Justice System (bearing in mind that it is sometimes difficult to understand how the words ‘justice’ and ‘system’ apply).
• Session 5 will be about the relevance of Restorative approaches for identity-related harms – such as racism and homophobia.
• Session 6 will be a review and planning session, considering collectively where this model could go and what could be achieved if communities and organisations were to adopt Restorative practice wholeheartedly.

Live sessions are every Thursday at 19:00-20:30.