Engage:
to capture the attention or efforts of a person or persons
Restorative Practices:
Using proactive methods to build healthy communities, repair harm, and restore relationships in schools, families, teams, and other groups
We all have a basic need to belong and to be part of a community. How do we create that sense of belonging and community in our homes, schools, teams, and organizations? Restorative principles and practices focus on relationships, engagement, involvement, responsibility, and accountability. Building these core values creates environments where individuals thrive, flourish and achieve to the best of their ability. Applying restorative practices leads to contributing citizens and safer communities.
- the Engage Team
“Thank you so much for today’s work with the staff. Their feedback was fantastic and I can’t wait to see the seeds you planted today manifest in my message tomorrow and in the work of teachers this year.”
- Jillian Marino, Principal, John D. Bracco Junior High School
“Parents appreciate being allowed to have a voice. Students on both sides appreciate that they have a right to have their voices heard with their support people present.”
- Mary, Principal, Junior High
“Restorative Practices are about relationships. When you build relationship between two people, they’re less likely to want to hurt each other, especially now that my mom knows your mom.”
- Mary, Principal, Junior High
“As a parent, I can fully vouch for [restorative practices]’ effectiveness in resolving conflict, repairing the harm, and moreover producing emotional maturity in the teenagers involved.”
- Parent
“I feel that the problem was effectively solved in this collaborative setting, which is one that can easily be replicated in different scenarios.”
- Parent
“The process provided a framework for healthy communication and conflict resolution, and I am hopeful my teen can institute the basics of this process in her own life going forward when needed.”
- Parent
“The conference provided opportunity for the teenagers to take responsibility for their actions and there were plans to ensure accountability of their future behaviours.”
- Parent
“What has impressed me the most is the legacy of the conference. I have seen the growth of empathy in my own child.”
- Parent
“By focusing on the repair of harm, I believe we ultimately taught our teens the critical life lesson that relationships matter.”
- Parent