3-day Training on Restorative Justice & Solution-Focused Reentry & Transition Planning Circles

March 16 – 18, 2011, Rochester, New York, Lorenn Walker & Rebecca Greening, will provide a comprehensive training on the innovative reentry and transition planning circle process developed in Hawai’i for imprisoned people and their loved ones. Also discussed on the VERA Institute of Justice website: http://www.vera.org/node/4629

Reentry & Transition Planning Circles are based on the principles and practices of restorative justice (RJ) and solution-focused brief therapy (SF) approaches. The Circles can be used for people leaving any sort of confinement, including residential drug treatment programs. This experiential training will prepare reentry case managers, facilitators—and anyone interested in assisting others with change—to lead or support Transition Planning Circles, including Family and Modified Circles.

Family Circles are three-hour, group planning sessions for incarcerated people and their families, other inmates and prison staff or case managers. Modified Circles are held when
inmates want to participate but their families cannot join in the process.

Learn How To:
• identify people’s strengths
• use RJ & SF to promote protective factors for resiliency
• ask restorative questions to promote reconciliation
• assist people in identifying their preferred futures
• listen mindfully and compassionately to troubled people
• initiate solution-building and respond positively to problem-talk
• deliver positive feedback and suggest homework for people to practice SF thinking
• interview people and their selected loved ones and other supporters
• facilitate and record Circles
• convene, deliver and prepare Circle Summary transition plans

Register for the training by visiting: http://www.pirirochester.org/ or email lorenn@hawaii.rr.com