Introducing Restorative Conferencing: A whole community, early intervention approach to youth anti-social behaviour- Final evaluation report

Goal and Purpose

The main goal of the Introducing Restorative Conferencing Project is to provide and support practitioners and staff at four targeted primary and high schools, the police and a community centre to access accredited training in restorative conferencing and to implement restorative conferencing within their setting to address young people exhibiting antisocial behaviour, that are at risk of engaging in criminal activities.

The purpose of project is to take an early intervention and holistic approach to working with young people, particularly young people who are disengaged from school or likely to be suspended because of unacceptable behaviour. Through restorative conferencing, the young person’s social support and family members, role models and the victim of the young person’s behaviour are brought together to raise awareness of the triggers leading to the young person’s behaviour, explore the impact of the behaviour on the victim and seek agreement on how the young person can make reparation to the victim and what support can be provided to the young person and their family.

Research indicates that restorative approaches lead to high victim satisfaction rates, accountability by the wrongdoer and reduction in the reoccurrence of problematic behaviours. A restorative model looks at what is behind the act and how the behaviour can be changed and how identified issues can be supported and assistance accessed. There is an opportunity for the victim and victims family to express the impact that the wrongdoer’s behaviour has on their wellbeing, to restore the relationship between the parties and provide an opportunity for the wrongdoer to express remorse for his/her actions.

Objectives

1. To consolidate partnerships and practice in implementing restorative approaches with young people (aged 10-18 years) and other community members, using models inclusive of family and community group conferencing, school conferencing and youth and family restorative conferencing.
2. Building the capacity of services/sectors (education, police, social services) to adopt restorative approach within their practices.
3. To disseminate key learnings to other communities with regard to: 1) the process of engagement in restorative conferences from a participants perspective; 2) the impact of such approaches in reducing offending behaviour; and 3) identifying key success factors in developing and sustaining partnership to restorative practices.