A Restorative Approach to Interacting with Youth

We’ve all seen the increasing trend to criminalize the behavior of young people. Juvenile prisons fill quickly under what now seems like a school-to-prison pipeline. Youth are being expelled from school for even minor offenses, adding to a growing dropout rate. Behaviors like bullying, aggression, and acts of violence all seem to carry the same weight of criminality now, but should they? The punitive responses we’ve implemented with a broad-brush stroke aren’t just failing to improve the situation, they often make the problems worse. We have a growing population of young people struggling to succeed, facing more isolation rather than receiving proper support.

Healthy youth development requires that we recognize and build upon the strengths of every young person. Research now shows that Restorative Practices are more effective for youth in preventing and transforming problem behaviors. Restorative Practices are proven to facilitate youth success by promoting inclusiveness, relationship-building and problem-solving. Restorative methods promote social emotional development and teach youth how to take responsibility for their actions.

This training will give you a basic understanding of what it means to create a restorative culture, beginning with your own mindset. You’ll explore the benefits and strategies of implementing restorative methods and learn strategies for practical application within your program.

Learning Objectives

1. Learn how Restorative Practices can be used to improve results for all youth.
2. Identify and examine barriers and benefits to shifting to a Restorative mindset.
3. Identify the steps needed to implement a restorative culture within your program or organization.