Restorative Systems and Restorative Circle updates

 

We have learned that it would be best to have people register for RC and RS events so we can make the best use of our volunteer facilitators' time.  Below is their message. You can contact me with any questions @ 779-7909 or mgchristen@aol.com

Marcia Christen

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April 12: Update for RS and RCs

Currently we are working on exploring setting up a Restorative System that is tailored to our community at KUUF so we will have another option open for dealing with conflict.  There is a Restorative Circle currently in the beginning "pre-circle" phase.  There is a tentative date of either May or June for the circle to occur.  The facilitators want us to also know the following: 

  1. Facilitators are open to answering any questions regarding the process PRIOR to anyone making a choice about whether or not to participate in a Restorative Circle.
  2. People are free to drop out of the process at anytime
  3. This process is about understanding and creating a plan that might support the community. it is NOT about blame and punishment
  4. this process is intended to support every person who participates to be heard and understood
  5. No one will not be pressured by facilitators to participate
  6. The facilitators welcome people to use other processes that they may trust and prefer. Those processes and the RC process can also be used side by side.

Marcia Christen is interested in having a discussion with people about what ways of dealing with conflict might be more supportive to the community than the ones that people are currently using.  There is asign up board for joining that group in the Foyer.

Eric and Katherine imagine that participating in that discussion may greatly support connection and well being in the KUUF community and contribute to new ways of dealing with conflict & agreements being established.  

The facilitators would like to encourage KUUF people to participate in RC learning events and practices as much as possible so that KUUF is less reliant on outside support such as ourselves.  this may take awhile, but we support this in happening. we would like to continue to support KUUF until we no longer hear requests for support.  we will do our best to do so and at the same time are always checking in about our own resources to be on this journey with you.  we would like to keep an open dialogue with you around this. 

  • May 28th on Bainbridge. Day long RC learning event (intro & practice) 
  • June 11th in Seattle. Day long RC learning event (intro & practice) 

There is an RC facilitation practice group in Seattle and one on Vashon.  For these events people get together and rotate on practicing facilitation in an environment of co-learning.  It is usually most supportive to the practice group if people attending have at least one intro presentation under their belt.  It is strongly encouraged that people attend an intro prior to attending a practice group to support your own learning and to support ease.

Facilitators:  Eric Bowers at eric@roadtocompassion.com and Katherine Betts at bettsykat@gmail.com.  Also seewww.restorativebainbridge.com

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March 9:  Update from Eric Bowers volunteer facilitator of RS/RCs

Greetings,

Katherine and I have offered a couple of presentations to KUUF on Restorative Circles (RC's).  The feedback has been positive including some requests for more support.  

One way that Katherine and I could offer more support is by facilitating an RC for unresolved conflict in the KUUF community.  If people in the KUUF community are interested, they can contact us at eric@roadtocompassion.com or bettsykat@gmail.com. Transperency and full choice are important to us, so we are happy to answer any questions and provide all the RC information we have to offer before people decide whether or not they want to participate or move forward with any other steps in the process outlined below.

We support everyone's choice in whether or not to partake in an RC.  We would not pressure anyone to take part and we would ask that no one else pressure anyone to take part.  An RC can take place without everyone who has been invited to participate attending. Every step is optional.  You are welcome to choose to discontinue being part of the RC process at any time during the process. We'd like to be clear that if you are invited to participate in a Restorative Circle Process and you decide not to go forward, others might still choose to go forward with the circle.  Your questions, concerns, and suggestions about what might work better for you are always welcome; at any point during the process.

Following is an outline of the RC steps we would likely follow.

1.  INITIATION:  Someone contacts us by email to let us know they would like to have a Restorative Circle (RC).

1a. Before the Pre-Circle begins:  Q&A with person initiating the circle and with those invited to participate if they are not ready to have a pre-circle yet but would like to get more clarity before making a choice whether to go forward or not.

2.  PRE-CIRCLES:  We would do a pre-circle with that person (likely by phone, but possibly in person).

     A Pre-Circle involves

     a)  getting clear on the reason for calling the RC (this is known as the "act");

     b)  connecting to the underlying meaning the act has for the the circle initiator;

     c)  reviewing the RC process so that there is clarity about what will happen throughout the RC process;

     d)  ensuring that the circle initiator wants to move forward;

     e)  getting the names and contact information of those that the circle initiator tells us needs to be there for the conflict to be addressed.

2a.  Pre-circles then happen  in the same way as it did with the circle initiator with everyone named by the circle initiator as needing to be there, but ONLY IF THOSE PEOPLE  WANT TO HAVE A PRE-CIRCLE.   People named as needing to be a part of the circle may not want to come to the circle or they may want more information first or they may want certain conditions in place so that they feel safe enough to take part in the RC process.  We do our best to support people as they want to be supported.  Pre-circles generally take 15-20 minutes.

3.   MAIN CIRCLE:  Everyone who has had a pre-circle and has agreed that they want to move forward comes together for the main circle.  The main circle is a place for finding understanding, responsibility, and for creating an action plan with very specific strategies to help restore the lost connection.  Once, the action plan is complete, a date and time is set for a Post Circle.   Main Circles take varying lengths of time, often 2-3 hours, sometimes more, sometimes less.

4.  POST CIRCLE:  The Post Circle is a time to come together and assess how well the action plan worked.  If the action plan worked well for everyone, we celebrate.  If not, we find understanding for why it didn't and create a new or amended action plan and try again.  Another Post Circle is set to assess the new action plan.

We would also love to continue supporting KUUF members to create their own response to conflict, which may or may not include the Restorative Circle process, so that KUUF can have the training and resources to take ongoing care of conflict that arises in the community.

Please find more about Restorative Circles at www.restorativecircles.org.

Warmly,

Eric and Katherine.