This trainer’s guide from Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Diversion Association goes through three different workshop outlines: the basics of communication, the basics of facilitation and troubleshooting restorative justice. Restorative justice means that the person who committed a crime can be held accountable by their victims in a safe and supportive environment with a trained facilitator.

This kind of justice can be a good way of dealing with violence in activist communities. Though violence is not tolerable, this is often preferable to conventional routes for justice (laying charges, going to court or prison sentence). Restorative justice involves the offender apologizes for their actions and listening to the impact of them as told by the victim.

This kind of system can be used for many different kinds of violence as well. It’s not worth it to press charges over an oppressive remark, but it’s meaningful for the offender to realize it as an act of violence and to understand the damage it can cause. These workshop outlines are all inclusive. They contain:

  Trainer’s tips

Workshop agendas

Role plays

Ice breakers

Discussion starters

Exercise handouts