From 145 submissions, the Early Learning Initiative was one of only 80 successful applicants chosen to present at the 2018 International Institute for Restorative Practices Conference in Toronto, Canada this April.
Emma Wheatley and Karen Mooney travelled to represent the college, giving a ‘progress report’ on Brighter Futures: A Vision for a Restorative Learning Community in Dublin, Ireland.
Working towards Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, the Early Learning Initiative, in cooperation with Arthur Cox and Belvedere Youth Club, created a pilot project for restorative practice, working with corporate volunteers and young people. This conference was an opportunity to share learnings with an international community and receive feedback.
Restorative Practice is strongly embedded in North America, having first been established in Canada in the 1970s. However, many of those attending the conference were greatly struck by the NCI report – many would not have considered that Dublin encounters the same urban problems of crime and deprivation that happen in larger cities; and the cross-cooperative approach, with academia, youth from the North East Inner City and corporate involvement, all working together to establish new relationships and collaborative communication, was received as exciting and inspiring.
The response to their presentation was so strong, Karen and Emma were then invited to facilitate a restorative workshop for the Shalem Mental Health Network in Hamilton, Ontario.
Travelling to this conference not only permitted NCI to share some of the incredible work undertaken by ELI, it allowed Emma and Karen to exchange experiences and ideas with international practitioners of Restorative Practice, including Terry O’Connell, director of Real Justice Australia, and Tim Chapman, chair of the European Forum for Restorative Justice.
Conversations arising from this conference may lead to future events in Dublin, with the first step being ELI’s engagement with #RJweek this coming November.
#RJweek stands for Restorative Justice week. Restorative Justice is familiar to many people in Ireland as a method of resolving conflict. Restorative Practice uses the same values-based approach, applied not just to heal rifts, but in everyday life, in every situation, to build clear communication and strong relationships.
