peer mediation and restorative practices: a two tiered approach presenter: jeff thornborrow prepared...

Peer Mediation and Restorative Practices:A Two Tiered Approach

Peer Mediation and Restorative Practices:A Two Tiered Approach

Presenter: Jeff ThornborrowPresenter: Jeff Thornborrow

Prepared for CMHO OACAS Joint Conference 2008Prepared for CMHO OACAS Joint Conference 2008

OverviewOverview

• Restorative Practices and Peer Mediation;– Descriptions;– similarities and differences.

• What we’re doing: NNDSB and ACFS;– Our successes;– Our challenges.

• Where you go after leaving here;– Needs for implementation in your area;– Challenges for you as you move forward;

• Conclusion.

• Restorative Practices and Peer Mediation;– Descriptions;– similarities and differences.

• What we’re doing: NNDSB and ACFS;– Our successes;– Our challenges.

• Where you go after leaving here;– Needs for implementation in your area;– Challenges for you as you move forward;

• Conclusion.

Peer MediationPeer MediationandandRestorative

PracticesRestorative Practices

Peer MediationPeer Mediation

Bringing together two students in conflict through an interactive meeting for the purpose of resolution and prevention of further conflict between one another. This process is completed by an objective facilitator who is also a student.

Bringing together two students in conflict through an interactive meeting for the purpose of resolution and prevention of further conflict between one another. This process is completed by an objective facilitator who is also a student.

Peer Mediation - Structure

Peer Mediation - Structure

Student Student

Facilitator

Co-Facilitator

Peer Mediation - ProcessPeer Mediation - Process

1. Introduction2. The stories3. Review (or labeling the issues)4. Brainstorming5. Agreements6. Closure7. Follow up

1. Introduction2. The stories3. Review (or labeling the issues)4. Brainstorming5. Agreements6. Closure7. Follow up

Restorative PracticesRestorative Practices

Bringing together people who commit, or participate in, an offending behaviour with those who were directly victimized or impacted by the behaviour through an interactive meeting for the purpose of repairing harm that was the result of that offence. This process is done by a objective facilitator.

Bringing together people who commit, or participate in, an offending behaviour with those who were directly victimized or impacted by the behaviour through an interactive meeting for the purpose of repairing harm that was the result of that offence. This process is done by a objective facilitator.

Restorative Practices-Structure

Restorative Practices-Structure

Facilitator

Co-Facilitator

Victim

Offender

SupportSupport

SupportSupport

Restorative Practices - Process

Restorative Practices - Process

1. Introductions;

2. The Story;

3. The agreement;

4. Closure;

5. Follow up.

1. Introductions;

2. The Story;

3. The agreement;

4. Closure;

5. Follow up.

Why Combine Them?Why Combine Them?

• Blend well– Have same values, goals, etc.

• Judicial setting vs. school setting– A real fit for all RP in the school setting…not just judicial setting

• Degrees of harm– Smaller offences – peer facilitation– Larger offences – admin facilitation

• Clarity of ‘victim’ and ‘offender’– RP usually has clear victim and offender– PM doesn’t - school incidents don’t

• Student learning– Teaches students conflict resolution skills, listening skills,

problem solving, meaningful accountability, etc. – Teachable moments

• Blend well– Have same values, goals, etc.

• Judicial setting vs. school setting– A real fit for all RP in the school setting…not just judicial setting

• Degrees of harm– Smaller offences – peer facilitation– Larger offences – admin facilitation

• Clarity of ‘victim’ and ‘offender’– RP usually has clear victim and offender– PM doesn’t - school incidents don’t

• Student learning– Teaches students conflict resolution skills, listening skills,

problem solving, meaningful accountability, etc. – Teachable moments

Merging the TwoMerging the Two

Opportunities• Conflict resolution• Processes are very

similar• Proven

effectiveness• Values and goals

are similar

Opportunities• Conflict resolution• Processes are very

similar• Proven

effectiveness• Values and goals

are similar

Hindrances• Time• Money• Minor differences

– Breaking bread– Facilitators role

Hindrances• Time• Money• Minor differences

– Breaking bread– Facilitators role

Near North District School BoardNear North District School Board

andand

Algonquin Child & Family ServicesAlgonquin Child & Family Services

NNDSB and ACFSNNDSB and ACFS

• 30 conferences;• 175 participants;• 22 suspensions shorted as a result of the

conference;• 5 suspensions avoided as a result of the

conference• Only 3 cases of recidivism rate for all

conferences;• Feedback form administered to all

participants.

• 30 conferences;• 175 participants;• 22 suspensions shorted as a result of the

conference;• 5 suspensions avoided as a result of the

conference• Only 3 cases of recidivism rate for all

conferences;• Feedback form administered to all

participants.

SuccessesSuccesses

Name: .

Date: .

Please read each question below. Answer by circling the one (1) number that best describes how you feel about your conference experience.

Do you feel all other participants heard and understood your side of the story?

1 2 3 4 5No a few listened/ some listened/ most listened/ Yes

understood understood understood

Do you feel you were given the opportunity to have input in designing the conference agreement?

1 2 3 4 5 No a little bit somewhat mostly Yes

Do you feel the agreement that was reached today is fair and satisfying to everyone involved?


Do you feel this conference was worthwhile and valuable to you?


Do you feel this conference was worthwhile and valuable to other participants?


Do you feel the issue/incident has been resolved?


Overall, how do you rate your conference experience?

1 2 3 4 5 awful poor fair good excellent

Other comments:

This form is intended for data collection purposes only. Participants’ names will not be used in processing the information collected.


Do you feel all other participants heard and understood your side of the story?Do you feel all other participants heard and understood your side of the story?

Do you feel you were given the opportunity to have input in designing the conference agreement?Do you feel you were given the opportunity to have input in designing the conference agreement?

Do you feel the agreement that was reached today is fair and satisfying to everyone involved?Do you feel the agreement that was reached today is fair and satisfying to everyone involved?

Do you feel this conference was worthwhile and valuable to you?Do you feel this conference was worthwhile and valuable to you?

91.5% - All or most listened91.5% - All or most listened

96.6% - Yes or mostly96.6% - Yes or mostly

93% - Yes or mostly93% - Yes or mostly



Do you feel this conference was worthwhile and valuable to other participants?Do you feel this conference was worthwhile and valuable to other participants?

Do you feel the issue/incident has been resolved?Do you feel the issue/incident has been resolved?

Overall, how do rate your conference experience?Overall, how do rate your conference experience?



94.9% - Excellent or good94.9% - Excellent or good

Difficulties• Money;

• Time;

• Geography;

• Staff support;

• Status quo.

Difficulties• Money;

• Time;

• Geography;

• Staff support;

• Status quo.


Where do you go from here?Where do you go from here?

Steps to SucceedSteps to Succeed

First thing’s first…

Access the administration.

Get your administration on board!

First thing’s first…

Access the administration.

Get your administration on board!


•Why bring Restorative Practices into the school?

– What needs currently aren’t being met with the punitive approach?

– What do I hope to achieve with Restorative Practices (goal setting)?

•Why bring Restorative Practices into the school?

– What needs currently aren’t being met with the punitive approach?

– What do I hope to achieve with Restorative Practices (goal setting)?

Define the projectDefine the project


Bringing together students who commit, or participate in, an offending behaviour at or against the school with those who were directly victimized or impacted by the behaviour through an interactive meeting for the purpose of maximizing the teachable moment and to repair the harm that was the result of that offence.

Bringing together students who commit, or participate in, an offending behaviour at or against the school with those who were directly victimized or impacted by the behaviour through an interactive meeting for the purpose of maximizing the teachable moment and to repair the harm that was the result of that offence.

Bringing together people who commit, or participate in, an offending behaviour with those who were directly victimized or impacted by the behaviour through an interactive meeting for the purpose of repairing harm that was the result of that offence.

Bringing together people who commit, or participate in, an offending behaviour with those who were directly victimized or impacted by the behaviour through an interactive meeting for the purpose of repairing harm that was the result of that offence.

Define the projectDefine the project

PMRP - StructurePMRP - Structure

Victim

/offender

Offender

/victim

SupportSupport

SupportSupport

Co-Facilitator

Facilitator

Student

Student

StudentS

tudent

Set the goalsSet the goals


• Use the incident as a learning experience;• Hold the harmer(s) meaningfully accountable for

their actions;• Give the victim(s) and bridge participant(s) a place

to have their voices heard and to allow them to start the healing process;

• Establish a restorative culture in the school(s). By doing this, we want to:– Reduce the number of punitive consequences;– Increase feelings of community, pride, and

inclusion in the students.• Aid in building social and conflict resolution skills.

• Use the incident as a learning experience;• Hold the harmer(s) meaningfully accountable for

their actions;• Give the victim(s) and bridge participant(s) a place

to have their voices heard and to allow them to start the healing process;

• Establish a restorative culture in the school(s). By doing this, we want to:– Reduce the number of punitive consequences;– Increase feelings of community, pride, and

inclusion in the students.• Aid in building social and conflict resolution skills.


Values of the program• Inclusive;• Strength based;• Relationship building;• Meaningful accountability;• Learning Experience;• Done with everyone, not to or for them.

Values of the program• Inclusive;• Strength based;• Relationship building;• Meaningful accountability;• Learning Experience;• Done with everyone, not to or for them.


Purpose of the program• Offers students support and resolution; • Gives students a voice; • Gives stakeholders/community members a

voice; • Assists in allowing those most affected by an

event to decide how to deal with it; • Holds students meaningfully accountable; • Helps students come back into the community; • Allows a healing process to begin with all

parties involved.

Purpose of the program• Offers students support and resolution; • Gives students a voice; • Gives stakeholders/community members a

voice; • Assists in allowing those most affected by an

event to decide how to deal with it; • Holds students meaningfully accountable; • Helps students come back into the community; • Allows a healing process to begin with all

parties involved.


• Referrals to the program must be in keeping with the intent of the Safe Schools Act;

• Referrals to the program should be in accordance with the internal policies of the school for handling offending behaviour;

• The school must have contacted the students (and respective families where appropriate) to obtain consent for the community partner to contact them;

• PMRP is a voluntary process.

• Referrals to the program must be in keeping with the intent of the Safe Schools Act;

• Referrals to the program should be in accordance with the internal policies of the school for handling offending behaviour;

• The school must have contacted the students (and respective families where appropriate) to obtain consent for the community partner to contact them;

• PMRP is a voluntary process.

Set the criteria for the programSet the criteria for the program


Address the staffAddress the staff• Let your staff know your intentions;• Ask for help;• Start a steering group;• Identify your ‘champions;’• Champions can:

– Spread the word in the school;– Sit on the steering group.

• Let your staff know your intentions;• Ask for help;• Start a steering group;• Identify your ‘champions;’• Champions can:

– Spread the word in the school;– Sit on the steering group.


Find the Mediators• Get help from staff

– Specifically: department heads; guidance; CDC’s, EA’s, VP’s

• Hand select students– Look for certain qualities:

– Show them they have been selected because of these qualities

Find the Mediators• Get help from staff

– Specifically: department heads; guidance; CDC’s, EA’s, VP’s

• Hand select students– Look for certain qualities:

– Show them they have been selected because of these qualities

•Resiliency•Ethical

•Leadership•Strength


Get the Training• Look for local trainers;

• Seek respected and creditable sources;

• Spend the money…it’s worth it.

Get the Training• Look for local trainers;

• Seek respected and creditable sources;

• Spend the money…it’s worth it.

Exercise the Training• Start using the training in day to day

efforts:

• Promote the program

Exercise the Training• Start using the training in day to day

efforts:

• Promote the program


–Pamphlets;–Class presentations;

–Pamphlets;–Class presentations;

–Probing questions;–Adapt it to target school.

–Probing questions;–Adapt it to target school.

–Peer Mediation Office;–Announcements;–Combine with other clubs/programs.

–Peer Mediation Office;–Announcements;–Combine with other clubs/programs.

–Use empathy;–Circles in the classroom;

–Use empathy;–Circles in the classroom;

Exercise the Training con’t• Start looking for possibilities to use

Restorative Practices in your school:– Use re-integrative circles;– Start with the ‘smaller’ offences;– Be aware of the entire situation/environment.

• Documentation– Feedback forms – How are we doing?– Implementation process– Monitoring process– Statistics

Exercise the Training con’t• Start looking for possibilities to use

Restorative Practices in your school:– Use re-integrative circles;– Start with the ‘smaller’ offences;– Be aware of the entire situation/environment.

• Documentation– Feedback forms – How are we doing?– Implementation process– Monitoring process– Statistics


Jeff ThornborrowPeer Mediation/Restorative PracticesAlgonquin Child and Family ServicesPO Box 596 37 Main StreetSundridge ON P0A 1Z0(T) 705-384-0160 ex.235 (F) [email protected]

Peer Mediation and Restorative PracticesPeer Mediation and Restorative Practices

peer mediation and restorative practices: a two tiered approach presenter: jeff thornborrow prepared...

Documents

peer mediation process

overview restorative

offender rp

school settingnot

objective facilitator

clear victim

purpose of resolution

area challenges