Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, especially during a busy holiday season. We hope you have found our blog over the past few months useful and we are very much looking forward to new topics, ideas, and information to share with you in the coming year!
The holidays can be a very stressful time for people, and we are so proud to be able to offer our services in every corner of Minnesota. One of the services that we offer are Restorative Practices. The partners of Community Mediation Minnesota are your compassionate guides in repairing harm, restoring relationships, and renewing a shared sense of community. Our restorative practices create reflective, safe, welcoming spaces carefully administered by trained facilitators.
Restorative practices are especially helpful for those immediately affected by a crime or other conflict. The process begins with a uniquely designed small circle of those affected, two or more individuals in conflict, their respective support and accountability representatives, and the trained facilitator.
Following brief introductions of the participants and the process, a series of increasingly personal exchanges occur focusing on identifying the precipitating harm, its effects, and the requisite steps toward its repair. This sharing is loosely guided by the facilitator through periodic prompts and check-ins. It is otherwise participant directed to encourage the participant’s ownership of the conversation, its consequences, and its conclusions.
Here’s a case study using restorative practices: A family arrived home to find a group of adolescents in the process of burglarizing their home. Virtually every area of their home had been invaded and several items were taken. The family felt extremely violated. During the facilitated intervention, the family were able to meet with some of the juveniles who undermined their sense of security. The process offered the family an opportunity to receive personal apologies, help restore their sense of security, and personally offer forgiveness. It also helped the juveniles to understand the full impact of their actions. All parties affected by the incident were able to come up with a plan to bring closure to the incident and move forward in positive directions.
For more information on or restorative practices or to see if it may be right for your situation, please click here.