What are Restorative Justice Centers?

Tied and integrated with our Restorative Practices Support, we help support schools in creating unique, student-led centers that change the discipline model for maladaptive behaviors and harm. These specific centers are either called Restorative Justice Centers (RJCs), Student Advocacy Centers (SACs), or similar titles depending on the school’s preference.

How It Works 

The Restorative Justice Centers have designated Student Advocates who model school-wide expectations for behavior and actively participate in the decision making process for disciplinary action. These Advocates work with student offenders to provide meaningful opportunities to be heard and encourage accountability while focusing on repairing harm to the community. Through this process the Advocates construct creative solutions to disciplinary matters that support righting the wrong, learning from the situation, and supporting appropriate interventions are provided.

The Impact

Students are part of the discussions and solutions. Primary stakeholders, the person(s) harmed, the offender(s), and the school or classroom community, determine how to best repair the harm done by an offense. This provides restorative justice and emphasizes the values of empathy, respect, honesty, acceptance, responsibility, and accountability within a school system.

Key Benefits

Provides proactive and inclusive ways to effectively address behavior and other complex school issues.
Helps build student leadership and student advocates.
Changes the discipline model from punitive to restorative.
Offers a supportive environment that can improve learning.
Strengthens relationships and builds community.
Improves safety by preventing future harm.
Offers alternatives to suspension and expulsion.

 

How We Can Support

Collaborative Learning Solutions is a trailblazer in this space and has seen many successes for schools implementing Restorative Justice Centers.

Consultation and Coaching

We provide consultation and coaching sessions for planning implementation with leadership. We also support throughout the implementation of a center within a school.

Training

Our consultants and support staff help train the school's staff, Student Advocates, and the Implementation Team. We also provide an intensive booster training for the Advocates.

*We customize all of our solutions for each district, school, etc. we work with. Please contact us for more information or assistance.

 

Hear from a Client of Ours

In 2021, Collaborative Learning Solutions partnered with Capital High School in Olympia, Washington to create and start implementing a Restorative Justice Center.

Tied and integrated with restorative practices, Restorative Justice Centers support schools in creating unique, student-led centers that change the discipline model for maladaptive behaviors and harm.

Hear from Terry Rose, one of the adult supervisors and facilitators, on how the Restorative Justice Center has positively impacted Capital High School and its students in a recent interview. Terry Rose is also a teacher and football coach at Capital High School.

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