The number of restorative justice skills trainings, from basic to advanced, is growing. Here’s a few examples from all around the world.
European Forum for Restorative Justice (BEL)
‘The European Forum for Restorative Justice organises its courses on restorative justice and its applications. These can be attended as one time event, or can be combined for progressive learning. The different courses offer valuable insight both for beginners and for advanced learners. Training can happen online or face-to-face. The courses apply participatory learning methodologies, close-to-practice examples, and they are delivered by members of the EFRJ Register of Qualified Trainers. The EFRJ organises training in different languages represented in Europe‘
Transforming Conflict (UK)
Transforming Conflict is one of the leading providers of training and consultancy in the UK in the field of restorative approaches in schools, residential care and other youth settings. We are also the longest established – the organisation was founded in 1994 by Dr Belinda Hopkins, one of the very early pioneers in the field of restorative approaches in schools, and who remains Transforming Conflict’s Executive Director‘
Restorative Justice Council (UK)
‘The RJC is the independent third sector membership body for the field of restorative practice. It provides quality assurance and a national voice advocating the widespread use of all forms of restorative practice, including restorative justice. The RJC’s vision is of a society where high quality restorative practice is available to all’.
International Institute of Restorative Practices (US)
‘The IIRP’s division of continuing education offers restorative practices training, consulting and educational materials throughout the world. Learning modalities range from free webinars to multi-day events that provide practical skills and can be applied toward graduate credit with the addition of online course work. Topics include basic skills to proactively build relationships, reduce aggression, respond to harm, enhance leadership and related topics.
University of Strathclyde (UK)
‘This Intensive Course offers participants the opportunity to come together to learn and develop the skills required to facilitate restorative conferences and circles. It includes training in the engagement and preparation of people who have been harmed and people responsible for harm, their supporters and the community’. Delivered by Tim Chapman.
Restorative Now (UK)
Led by Janine Carroll, Restorative now delivers a number of trainign programs such as theApproved Course accreditation awarded by the Restorative Justice Council and the Accredited Trainer Status awarded by the Restorative justice Council and the European Forum for restorative Justice.
Restorative Justice For All International Institute (UK)
‘Restorative Justice for All (RJ4All) is a charitable, user-led international institute that was set up in 2013 by Theo Gavrielides with a mission to address poverty and advance community cohesion and human rights.‘
Restorative Thinking (UK)
‘Restorative and relational practice is an emerging Social Science, adopted in multiple ways across the UK and beyond by Police and Crime Commissioners, Schools, Local Authorities, Health and Social Care Settings, Prison and Probation Services to address a wide variety of challenges‘
Thames Valley Restorative Justice Service (UK)
‘Thames Valley Restorative Justice Service (TVRJS) offers consultancy and training to external organisations. Our highly experienced trainers and facilitators come from Restorative Justice settings within the Probation Service, Youth Offending Service, Youth Services and the European Pilot Project.’
Restorative Engagement Forum (UK)
‘We provide accredited training, facilitation and consultancy in Restorative Practices (RP) and Restorative Justice (RJ). We are currently working with many internationally-recognised organisations embedding restorative practices. We work across all sectors: in workplaces to integrate restorative cultures across the whole organisation in the Criminal Justice System; in prisons, probation and with the police in education, housing and the health sector The work we create for our clients is entirely bespoke responding to their individual needs.’
The Mint House – Oxford Centre for Restorative Practice (UK)
‘We’re a networking centre seeking to raise awareness of restorative practice and to promote collaboration among practitioners and restorative justice supporters We work with institutions who are interested in embedding restorative practice into their organisation culture, offering advice and support We’re keen to promote access to restorative interventions, whether through ourselves or others‘
Peace of the Circles (CND)
‘Peace of the Circle is an organization working internationally with justice agencies, government, businesses, non-profits, schools and communities which provides a range of restorative justice trainings’. Led by Evelyn Zellerer.
Research on Restorative Justice Training
Jennifer L. Lanterman (2022) Critical deficiencies in restorative conference facilitator trainings: a multiple-case study, Contemporary Justice Review, DOI: 10.1080/10282580.2022.2090349
ABSTRACT ‘Restorative justice in the juvenile and criminal justice contexts can produce positive outcomes for victims, offenders, and communities. Research demonstrates that restorative justice can produce negative outcomes for participants under certain circumstances, including poor conference facilitator performance. Facilitator performance is at least partially attributable to their training, but there is scant research on conference facilitator training. This multiple-case study explores the delivery modality, methods of instruction, and training content of 11 trainings delivered over a four-year period. This article concludes with recommendations for training modifications and future research to enhance the positive outcomes of restorative justice for all participants.‘
Jennifer L. Lanterman (2020) Training partner selection and quality assurance in restorative justice for the criminal justice setting, Contemporary Justice Review, 23:4, 544-562, DOI: 10.1080/10282580.2019.1700369
ABSTRACT ‘Restorative justice (RJ) conferences may be used as an alternative to or in conjunction with conventional criminal justice system responses. They may yield benefits for victims, offenders, and effected communities. RJ conferences also have the potential to be counterproductive if facilitators are not properly trained or if they fail to properly implement models of practice. This paper reports on the results of a multiple-case study of RJ practitioner trainings and advances recommendations for training partner selection and quality assurance processes in the criminal justice context. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research.‘
Jane Bolitho & Jasmine Bruce (2017) Science, art and alchemy: best practice in facilitating restorative justice, Contemporary Justice Review, 20:3, 336-362, DOI: 10.1080/10282580.2017.1348896
ABSTRACT ‘This paper explores the role and process of facilitation in restorative justice (RJ). Drawing from a victim offender conferencing program used after serious crime in New South Wales Australia, 84 interviews with restorative facilitators were thematically analysed. The skills, techniques and strategies used to prepare, conduct and de-brief cases are considered including managing complex cases where participants present with intense anger and grief, poor insight into offending and cognitive and mental health issues. While good facilitation is in part the result of knowledge, training and experience, the art of great facilitation relates to the interplay of the facilitator’s inherent characteristics, capacities and world-views alongside this knowledge, skill and experience. While facilitating well is premised on an appreciation of the alchemy that exists within RJ, advanced facilitators use the alchemy to shape the process. Good practice is further enabled through workplace structures that support a team approach where there is open deliberation around needs, risk and harm. Because good facilitation is paramount to the best practice of RJ this paper has implications for current policy debates concerning RJ standards and the training and accreditation of RJ practitioners.‘