CENTER FOR TRAINING
We offer trainings in Restorative Justice, Trauma Healing, Facilitation and Restorative Approaches to Intimate Violence. We welcome requests from community groups, universities, prisons, or organizations to create a workshop that is specific to your locale. If we cannot do it ourselves we will do our best to refer you to someone who can. Below are examples of the types of trainings we offer - current and past.
UPCOMING TRAININGS:
Restorative Approaches to Sexual Harm
Facilitated by sonya shah, nuri nusrat and daniel jacob self
Dates: POSTPONED.
Location: Columbia School of Social Work, New York. Sponsored by The Center for Justice at Columbia University
In this training, we will explore restorative approaches to sexual harm and systems like patriarchy that support it; we’ll share case studies of the dialogues and harm circles we have facilitated; we will explore practices for facilitating healing and accountability with people who have committed severe violence and survivors of it; and how as practitioners we engage with this work in a healthy way. We don’t have all of the answers, we expect this training to allow us collectively to explore the many strategies needed to address sexual harm and the wounds of patriarchy using restorative justice approaches. Our facilitators come from diverse racial and experiential backgrounds that have been impacted in complex and unique ways by systems of oppression, and by sexual violence directly and indirectly. Our commitments to this work are both uniquely personal and deeply political.
Realize Training: An In-Prison Restorative Approach to Intimate Violence
Dates: POSTPONED.
Location: Fresno Pacific University (FPU) and Valley State Prison in Chowchilla. Exact location TBD
Cost: The cost is on a sliding scale with scholarships available. The full price is $350. However, no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
About the Training: This four day training by free and incarcerated facilitators explores restorative approaches to intimate violence — mainly sexual harm, and also domestic violence and abuse or harm in the family and home. It is for people who
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Wish to facilitate the Realize program with the Ahimsa Collective in prisons
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Are working in the field of sexual harm and looking to deepen their restorative approach
We’ll spend two days learning together at Fresno Pacific University and two days inside Valley State Prison. Topics will include trauma, accountability, shame to worth, gender socialization and patriarchy, sexual harm and survivorship, healthy intimacy and relationships, intimate partner violence, interpersonal and structural causes of trauma and violence, and impact on victims/survivors. Our circles are co-facilitated by incarcerated leaders and outside free people. In each session, we talk in circle, process in small groups, present concepts and have discussions, integrate experiential, somatic and creative exercises, and dialog guest speakers.
PAST TRAININGS:
2019
Advanced Restorative Justice Training in the Indian Context
Dates: November 11-16, 2019
Location: Ahmedabad, India
This five day training is an advanced training in Victim Offender Dialog facilitation, diving deep into the relationship between healing and accountability for people who have done harm, and sharing current dialogs and case studies, in order to build a learning community of current restorative justice practitioners across India. This training is by invitation only.
Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) Facilitator Training
August 19-21, 2019
This three day training is designed for those who wish to facilitate Victim Offender Dialogues. or VODs. A VOD is a well prepared and fully facilitated, confidential face-to-face meeting between the person harmed and the person responsible for the harm. Most VODs take place in California State Prisons. We work in close collaboration with the California State Office of Victim Services (OVSRS) to offer this victim initiated restorative process.
Restorative Approaches to Sexual Harm and the Patriarchy
Facilitated by Sonya Shah, nuri nusrat, Richard Cruz and Alison Espinosa-Setchko
Columbia School of Social Work, New York. March 29th-31st | 9:30am - 5:00pm
Sponsored by The Center for Justice at Columbia University
If you are interested in attending a training like this, contact us, and we’ll let you know when we host the next one.
2018
Restorative Justice and Peacemaking Practices | Facilitated by Sonya Shah & Guests
SF California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). October 20th and 21st, 2018, 9:30am-6:00pm
About the workshop: Restorative Justice and Peacemaking is a paradigm grounded in relationships and a set of practices to address harm, conflict, and strengthen community. It is used in schools, community groups, families, universities, and along the entire continuum of the justice process to address historical harms as well as sexual and domestic violence. It is used by social workers, students, justice advocates, professors, therapists, school teachers, psychologists, community activists, and in every day interpersonal relationships worldwide. This workshop offers experiential learning and application of restorative justice practices and peacemaking paradigm. Learn from cutting edge practitioners in the field and consider how to use restorative justice and peacemaking processes in your work and personal life. If you are interested in reading the original description, please click here.
Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) Training
May 1st-4th, 2018
In collaboration with Impact Justice. Facilitated by Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz and Michelle Armor.
A four day training to facilitate Victim Offender Dialogues.
Community Healing Facillitator Training | Facilitated by Bonnie Wills and Kashka Banjoko
April 20th-22nd, 2018
A three day training to facilitate Restorative Justice based Healing Circles.
Understanding Restorative Justice in the Indian Context
Environmental Sanitation Institute (ESI) , Sughad, Ahmedabad. Feb 5th to 7th 2018
About the workshop: Restorative Justice is a world-view grounded in relationships and a set of practices. It's intention is to heal/address harm, conflict and communication while taking into consideration all levels of causes and conditions that create harm, from structural to the interpersonal. In the 3 day workshop, we hope to deepen our understanding on Restorative Justice (RJ) and its practices, understand the challenges of implementing RJ in India, and discuss how RJ can be adopted in the Indian context.
Restorative Approaches to Intimate Violence
Fresno, CA. February 22-25, 2018
In collaboration with COSA Fresno. Four day training in restorative justice and trauma healing in prisons.
2017
Facilitating Group Process for Healing and Accountability in Prison
Framingham, MA. December 17th, 18th, 2017
In collaboration with the Transformational Prison Project. A two day workshop at Framingham Prison for Women.
Trauma Education Training for Law Enforcement
Massachusetts. December 19th, 20th, 2017
In collaboration with the Transformational Prison Project.
Restorative Justice and Peacemaking Practices
Last held: September 30 - October 1, 2017. See 2018 dates above.
About the workshop: A two day introductory workshop exploring restorative justice practices and peacemaking as applied to schools, community, family, and the justice continuum. In collaboration with California Institute of Integral Studies and Restorative Justice Practitioners in Oakland (RJOY, Impact Justice, Canticle Farms, Asian Prisoners Support Committee and others). Click here to see the original description of this event.