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UC-HRI EXPERT PANEL
Wednesday 1 February 2017
5:30pm to 7:00pm
Ann Harding Conference Centre - Building 24, University Canberra
You are warmly invited to join our conversation
Hosted by Professor Rachel Davey (Health Research Institute, University of Canberra)
Moderated by Melissa Sweet: UC PhD scholar and independent public health journalist, publisher of Croakey.org.
Please feel free to distribute – the event is free of charge.
Restorative Practices International (RPI), in collaboration with Restorative Practices Aotearoa (RPA), Resolution Institute (RI) and Victoria University of Wellington, is pleased to announce:
The 2016 Conflict Resolution Conference
15-16 November in Wellington, New Zealand
ü Save the date – registrations open in June
ü Be part of the conference by submitting a workshop proposal
Dealing constructively with conflict is essential to achieving a just and peaceful society. Conflicts come in many shapes and sizes and there is no “one size fits all” solution. Methods of resolution need to be tailored to the circumstances.
This unique, multi-disciplinary conference will explore the broad spectrum of alternative conflict resolution processes, looking at both the latest developments within each discipline and the potential for cross-fertilisation and collaboration between approaches. Plenary sessions will deal with issues of common concern while workshops will enable practitioners and policymakers within the various fields of mediation, arbitration, conciliation and restorative justice to share learning and encourage innovation.
For more information or to submit a workshop proposal see the Conference Website
https://confer.eventsair.com/QuickEventWebsitePortal/crc-2016/crc
Kind regards,
Graeme George
MACE MACEL MRACI CChem MAIP
Chair
Restorative Practices International
Dear Restorative Communities Networkers.
As you know, throughout 2016, the ACT Government and the ANU Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet) are supporting a series of workshops relating to the use of restorative practices in a range of sectors throughout the Canberra community.
You are invited to attend the second workshop of 2016 – Restorative Practices in Health – which will take place in the Function Room of the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre (off London Circuit in the Canberra City) on Monday 18 April 2016 from 12.00pm-2.00pm. As the workshop will take place across the lunch period, light refreshments will be provided.
You will hear from restorative practitioners about their experiences using restorative practice in the sector and have the opportunity to participate in group discussions which identify strategies which have worked well, as well as opportunities for improvement when applying restorative practices in a health-based environment. This workshop is an opportunity to envisage a more fully restorative health system while developing your understanding of restorative practices. Participation in Restorative Communities Network events is a valuable learning and development opportunity for all who seek to solve problems restoratively in their fields of work.
Please note that while this workshop relates to restorative practices in the health sector, you do not need to be a medical practitioner or to have worked in the health sector to participate. All that is required is an interest in restorative practices and the wellbeing of our shared community.
As there are limited spaces available for the workshop, it would be greatly appreciated if you could RSVP at the earliest possible opportunity. RSVP’s will close at COB on Wednesday 13 April to ensure the opportunity to provide adequate catering. If you are unable to attend please feel free to circulate this invitation to another person who you feel may be interested in attending. Please RSVP to me via return email to kelly.lokan@act.gov.au or via telephone on 6205-1772.
Restorative Communities Network Workshop
Restorative Practices in Schools
You are invited to attend the first of a series of workshops supported by the ACT Government and ANU Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet) on behalf of the Canberra Restorative Communities Network – Restorative Practices in Schools.
Throughout the workshop you will hear from educators about their experiences implementing restorative practices in their schools and have the opportunity to provide personal insights relating to your journey in the ACT education system. Please note you do not need to be a teacher or have worked in the education sector to participate in this workshop. All that is required is a passion for restorative practices and effective learning communities.
This workshop will identify the strategies which have worked well and will discuss opportunities for improvement when applying restorative practices in a school setting.
Workshop Details:
Date: Thursday the 18th of February 2016
Location: The Function Room, The Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, 180 London Circuit, Canberra City
Time: 12:00-2.00 pm (light refreshments will be provided)
Please RSVP to Kelly Lokan on kelly.lokan@act.gov.au
or 6205-1772 by COB by 17th February 2016.
The Attorney General of British Columbia (BC), Canada, Ujjal Dosanjh, visited the Australian National University in 1999 when the first of the Reintegrative Shaming Experiments (RISE) data was being collected from the restorative justice program in the ACT.
He returned to BC to establish province wide community based restorative justice programs in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. BC is now poised to step into the next generation of restorative justice in British Columbia, building on a number of recent collaborative initiatives within the province.
About the Speaker
Brenda Morrison is the Director of the Centre for Restorative Justice and an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University. She is a social psychologist with field experience in outdoor education, government administration and restorative justice. She is a former director of the RegNet Restorative Justice program.
Her teaching and research interests include transformative and restorative justice, responsive regulation, school violence and safety, conflict and cooperation, shame-management and social identity, the self and self-interest.
She is a member of a number of editorial boards, including the recently launched Restorative Justice: An International Journal.
In BC, she has served on the Ministry of Justice Performance Review Committee and the working group for a Justice System for the 21st Century. She serves on the advisory committee for BC Victims of Homicide.
Name: Shelly Harkness
Email Address: info@restorativepracticeswhanganui.co.nz
Message: Kia ora from across the ditch!
We love your website! It's very attractive and inspiring - well done to all who've had a part in it! We're hoping our re-vamped website (coming soon) will look half as good!
Of course the Whanganui Restorative Practices Trust would love to be 'officially' networked with you! We've certainly enjoyed our connections over the last few years and looking forward to always learning and sharing together.
Warm regards,
Shelly.
RESTORATIVE COMMUNITIES NETWORK MEETING
Canberra as a Restorative City
November 18, 2015
What a wonderful opportunity -- joining Restorative Justice practitioners and champions from the ACT Restorative Communities Network to hear Senator Vern White speak about his experience applying restorative justice practices to his work in Canada. The Q & A that followed and ‘buzz groups’ helped build understanding and a feeling that Canberra can lead the way -- by working towards being an RJ community.
I’d like to contribute my ‘executive summary’ from the session on November 18 as a resource for the ‘learning community’ of RJ practitioners, researchers, theorists, and other ‘RJ fringe dwellers’ such as myself. Briefly, I am a Social Worker trained in conflict resolution and was introduced to RJ practice through colleagues in the ‘RJ learning community’ associated with the RegNet Unit at the Australian National University.
The following dot points are what I ‘learned’ on November 18. The points may not be whatother’s heard so…in the RJ tradition, create respectful space:
• The ACT Restorative Communities Network is coming together with the vision of connecting leaders to expand restorative justice principles and practice across the Canberra community.
• The vision includes – finding practical ways to build resilient and harmonious communities – fostering connection to others to feel safe, thrive, and resolve problems – healing harm and building connection.
• Senator Vern White spoke about the role police play in this vision and their positive impact on families based on 25 years with the police in Canada. He wryly described how a cop saw potential in him as a young man - he learned that people treated with humanity can ‘get’ the impact of their behavior on others. And change…
• When RJ was introduced to Newfoundland in 1985, Vern said 72% of offenders were reoffending – a high % were young people who did not have a safe place to go at night due to violence at home. RJ introduced family conferencing, breakfast clubs, homework clubs, and a safe place for young people to sleep at night -- reoffending rates changed.
• Vern also introduced victim satisfaction feedback with the RJ process -- victim’s voices were heard and community was part of the practice. RJ for victims helped restore faith, forgiveness and accountability.
• In Canada, the police facilitate RJ conferencing but not in Australia. Canberra was offered encouragement to – be like a snake, where the head goes the body follows. RJ requires police participation to succeed. Heads need to become active champions for RJ. Through RJ, create space where all voices are heard.
• During the Q & A, Australia’s high offender rate was described and the relationship to drug and alcohol use – an addict commits 4-6 crimes per day to fund an addiction. Australia has the highest use of ‘ice’ internationally. To change this statistic, Australia needs to target trafficking and deal with addiction with more treatment centers. RJ is cheaper than jail – Every $1.00 spent on RJ = $8.00 in reduced drug crime.
• Communities can use RJ for peace building and to strengthen relationships through restorative practice. Tribunals report the worst level of victim satisfaction is with neighborhood disputes – although participants may not like each other they can learn how to talk through RJ conferencing. Some lawyers are starting to use RJ!
• Website: canberrarestorativecommunity.space
Dr. Sherene Suchy (AASW),
DUO PLUS - PO Box 926 Jamison Centre, ACT 2614 Australia
P: 02 6251 9939 W: duopluseq.com E: s_suchy@iprimus.com.au
Name: Rhian Williams
Email Address: mizrhian@yahoo.com.au
Message: Thank you for the invitation to attend the session yesterday. As has been said relationships are at the heart of restorative processes. Returning, creating and maintaining a sense of connection – mostly to people who feel that this connection has never existed or where it has it is now broken. This is hard work but it is the work of making our communities safe, welcoming and inclusive places that support all to flourish.
It seems to me that if Canberra is to embrace becoming a restorative community one of the key things we will need to do is ignite the imagination of our fellow Canberrans about this idea. Our imagination is ignited when we hear the stories of how restorative processes work. Stories like the one shared at the meeting of the woman who met with the man who had burgled her house and who was able to show how this event, that seemed no big deal to him, had completely destroyed her life. Yet having the opportunity to explain this offered healing to both.
One of the key steps in any restorative process is the telling of story – sharing our story is the beginning of sharing understanding. I don’t really know what a restorative community would look like – I have a lot of ideas though, but I don’t feel I understand enough the ideas of the others who want to pursue this ideal as well. But I want to. All of which means I want to hear more stories.
Someone said yesterday that restorative process is more than just restorative justice. Indeed it is. Restorative processes happen everywhere but to paraphrase the great satirist Terry Pratchett there is no justice there is just us working out what to do.
I would like to propose an invitation for a restorative story telling get together. Come to listen and to speak. If you wish to share a story let’s have a 5 minute limit so as many great stories as possible can be told. Each story should showcase one example of restorative practice from any context.
If you this idea is of interest please let me know and I would be happy to help make it happen.
Thanks again.
Rhiân Williams
