Community involvement and participation in restorative circles can positively impact all people involved according to Belinda Dulin in her chapter “Restorative Practices in Community” in the book Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing our Realities. Shelley, Steve and Stan discuss a terrific story about 2 families at risk of eviction due to conflict who resolve the issues with the involvement of a community member. Schools have set up many structural barriers to community members getting involved in restorative circles.

Restorative practice suggestions:

1. Seek to break down the barriers and structures in schools which prevent community involvement in restorative circles.
2. Challenge the idea that “we can’t do that here” with restorative alternatives.
3. Educate the community about restorative practices.
4. Be invitational in order to reduce individual isolation and to reduce the isolation of schools from their communities.

Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing our Realities

Visit www.restorative.ca for more information about the HOWTO of using talking pieces.

See www.circleforum.ca for live online trainings in using circles.

Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

Music by ZakharValaha from Pixabay