What are Restorative Approaches?
Restorative Approaches, inspired by the philosophy and practices of Restorative Justice, are processes and strategies used in workplaces, schools, organizations, and the justice system to repair harm and build or strengthen relationships. These processes focus on methods that help people to cooperate, to take personal responsibility for their actions, and to resolve conflict. Instead of focusing on blame and doing things to or for people, the restorative approach works with people to build problem-solving and decision-making skills that result in better connections, less conflict, and a healthier community.
Check out our Restorative Approaches video featuring local New Orleans students and educators.
Our Programs
CRA offers a wide range of restoratives services from prevention to intervention.
Restorative Circles
A Restorative Circle is a conflict-resolution discussion where those affected develop their own solutions on how to make the situation right. In this process, a CRA trained facilitator brings together those responsible, those impacted, and others affected to create an action plan to repair harm and prevent it from happening again.
CRA currently offers two types of Restorative Circles:
Prevention: A preventative Restorative Circle brings together those affected by a conflict to prevent a more serious incident from occurring. This process allows for those involved to discuss what happened, how they were affected and guides the participants through developing a plan to make the situation better before it escalates.
Intervention: A Restorative Circle can also be used as an intervention when a serious conflict or incident has already occurred. This process also brings together everyone who has been affected by an incident to speak about what happened, how they have been affected, and to decide collaboratively how to repair harm that has occurred as alternative to a punitive consequence.
You can easily request a Restorative Circle by completing our online Referral Form.
Training and Consulting
The Center for Restorative Approaches provides training and professional development services. The training provides tools that build productive relationships and ensure that conflict can be resolved in constructive ways. We offer trainings in a wide variety of settings including on-site trainings for businesses, public agencies, and schools as well as city-wide trainings for individuals and neighborhood leaders.
Training and Consulting include:
- An Introduction to Restorative Approaches
Restorative approaches are processes used to build, strengthen, and repair relationships. They are guided by the understanding that relationships are central to learning, growth, and a healthy community. Restorative approaches focus on methods that help people to cooperate, take responsibility for their behavior, resolve conflict, and improve communication. Instead of focusing on blame and doing things “to” people, restorative approaches work “with” people to build problem-solving skills that result in better connections and a healthier community. This 16-hour training introduces participants to the restorative approach and offers practical skills to build community, foster inclusion, and promote collaborative decision-making.
*Prerequisite for Restorative Circles training
- Facilitating Restorative Circles
This 16-hour training teaches participants to resolve more serious conflicts using restorative circles. A Restorative Circle is a conflict-resolution discussion where those affected develop their own solutions on how to make the situation right. In this process, a CRA trained facilitator brings together those responsible, those impacted, and others affected to create an action plan to repair harm and prevent it from happening again. Note: Completion of the Introduction to Restorative Approaches course is a prerequisite for this training. Facilitation of restorative circles also requires certification. Certification is Part II of the training process. It involves observation and co-facilitation of circles in the field.
- Teaching Youth Restorative Approaches & Peer Facilitator’s Club
This tailored curriculum is designed to introduce young people to the Restorative Approach to empower them with the tools to support healthy communication and to resolve conflicts in socially-positive ways.
- Addressing Racism Together (A.R.T)
Citizens, organizations, and municipalities across the country are working to create communities where all people have an equal opportunity to thrive. They recognize that the systems of racism, embedded in our country’s institutions, must be dismantled in order to achieve that end. Addressing Racism Together provides a forum to develop a shared understanding of racial inequity and develop action steps to achieve equity and inclusion. This dialogue process uses art (poetry, visual art, music, etc.) as, not only, a provocateur of dialogue and action, but also as a vehicle to help us see, feel, and reflect in ways that encourage connection, learning, healing, and change. Because community building is critical to the establishment of the trust needed to engage in honest and healthy conversations about racism, A.R.T. provides opportunities to build and strengthen relationships between participants throughout the dialogue process. Additionally, participants receive training in critical communication skills needed to increase their capacity to respond to inequity.
In preparation for the completion of initial action steps to achieve equity and inclusion, participants receive and review CRA’s Two-Part Racial Equity Assessment Tool. Section A is used prior to making new policy/program/practice implementation decisions. Section B offers questions to consider when auditing/evaluating existing programs, policies, procedures, practices and the overall climate of an organization.
- Implicit Bias
Implicit Bias refers to the unconscious attitudes and stereotypes used by the brain to make decision-making more efficient. During this 2 hour workshop, participants will engage in activities and discussions on the science and implications of implicit bias and gain tools to mitigate it’s impact
For additional information or to schedule a training for your organization or workplace, please CONTACT US!
School Partnerships
CRA partners with schools in the greater New Orleans area to help incorporate Restorative Approaches into their school community. We offer targeted coaching and support for our school leaders, culture teams, and other student support services, and also equip the entire staff with the Restorative communication skills they need to build and strengthen relationships with their students. All of our partnerships include the ability to make referrals for Restorative Circles, which can be used as prevention/alternative to suspension.
To learn more about our School Commitment Packages, or to customize your own, please CONTACT US!