COURSE OBJECTIVES: THIS COURSE IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE EXPERIENCE IN THE CIRCLE PROCESS AS WELL AS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE FOUNDATIONAL VALUES AND KEY STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR DESIGNING AND CONDUCTING PEACEMAKING CIRCLES.
PARTICIPANTS WILL BE INTRODUCED TO THE PEACEMAKING CIRCLE PROCESS AND EXPLORE:
• FOUNDATIONAL VALUES AND PHILOSOPHY OF PEACEMAKING CIRCLES
• CONFLICT AS OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
• CREATING SAFE, RESPECTFUL SPACE FOR DIALOG
• STRUCTURE OF THE CIRCLE PROCESS
• CONSENSUS DECISION MAKING
• FACILITATION OF THE CIRCLE PROCESS
• PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF CIRCLE PROCESS
• PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES IN CIRCLES
The peacemaking circle process will be used as the primary form of group work
COST: $300
From 1994 to 2003 Kay Pranis served as the Restorative Justice Planner for the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
A champion of peacemaking circles, her work focuses on promoting the use of restorative justice principles in the
criminal justice system and in communities by providing training and technical assistance to courts, correctional
facilities, schools, and community groups. Kay is the author of The Little Book of Circle Processes: A New/Old
Approach to Peacemaking (Good Books, 2005), as well as over 37 articles and essays. She is a consultant for the
National Institute of Justice and the National Institute of Corrections, among other organizations. Kay supports
people across the U.S. and Canada in their efforts to respond to crime in ways that build communities by speaking
and providing training on restorative justice.
A dynamic, committed practitioner of Restorative Justice (RJ) and an international leader in peacemaking circles as both "keeper" and trainer, Gwen Chandler Rivers has extensive experience with community development, community organizing, social services, housing development, the criminal justice system and courts (especially as they impact People of Color), diversity training, and intentional dialogues on values, race, and culture. She is a strong advocate in the Movement Against Domestic Violence and has extensive experience working with disenfranchised communities. Gwen has served as the expert Circle trainer for the annual "train the Trainers" two-week program sponsored by the BARJ Project at Florida Atlantic University, and a lecturer and trainer for the MN Department of Corrections Juvenile Justice Training Program.
She currently works as an independent consultant and contractor for GCR Consulting, Inc., currently working with BIHA (Black, Indian, Hispanic, Asian) - Women in Action, Hennepin County Drug Court's RJ Program, and community block clubs.
by Kay Pranis
Watermark used with permission from UND Native American Law Student Association
