In This Issue
RJ in the News
Upcoming meetings
MIP's
Direct Referrals
Quick Tip
Ted Talk-Everyday Leaders
Ted Talk-Everyday Leaders
The impact of identifying someone's assets

RJ in the News  

 

Click on the link to read an article that may be of interest to you. 

When Restorative Justice in Schools Works 

 

What do you think?

 
Restorative Justice 
  2015
 Circles
33
 
 Referrals
35
       
      
Facilitator Meeting -April 19 at 4-5pm at the Glenwood office to rsvp email lsobke@youthzone.com
  
New Community Member Training
April 14, 2016 at 4:30-5:30pm at YouthZone in Rifle
 
Advanced Facilitator Training in Longmont May 21, 2016 9-4:30 pm $195
www.lcjp.org to register
 
Save the Date!!
2016 RJ Colorado Conference in Vail-September 25-17

  

 

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Restorative Justice
Spring 2016 E-Newsletter
"I will work to make it right."
                                                        comment from youth RJ evaluation
 
YouthZone Celebrates
 40th Year!
  
As legend goes, it all started around a Bud and Charlene Collett's kitchen table in Rifle in 1976. YouthZone began as "Let's Work it Out", later became "Garfield Youth Services", followed by its present name, "YouthZone".  YouthZone is celebrating its 40th birthday in 2016.
In 1993, Garfield Youth Services offered a program called "Victim-Offender Mediation".   The program looked a little different than it does today. Instead of a circle, two mediators were seated across the table from the youth. The programs' focus was on repairing harm through restitution. The group found that victim involvement led to restoration and the program evolved into Restorative Justice. Some of the original volunteers included Marion Smith, Jan Kaufman and Eddi Vanderhoof. Barb and Bill Lorah, Alec Raffin , Jean Heyser, Patty Penland Phelps, Lisa Franke and Debbie Wilde acted as facilitators. Barb pioneered the idea of writing the offender's assets on a large piece of paper and using those assets to repair harm. This idea has spread and most RJ programs use it today.
Barb remembers one of the early circles that had a big impact on the youth offender. A 12 year old boy loved art. To repair the harm, he wanted to paint miniature pictures and use them as prizes at Sunnyside Retirement Center's weekly Bingo game. He enjoyed helping run the games and awarding prizes so much that he continued to paint pictures and volunteer for a few years after his two month obligation was fulfilled.
Thanks to the hard work of the many past employees and volunteers, Restorative Justice has become an important program at YouthZone that helps kids, families and victims in our communities.
HandsLisa Sobke, Restorative Justice Coordinator 
  
   Motivational Interviewing Training
In December, Karen Barbee, Russ Criswell, Jamie Darien and Mary Rippy attended YouthZone's staff training meeting and were presented by Warren Humble on Motivational Interviewing .  Warren visits YouthZone twice a year to help staff hone their motivational interviewing skills.  This training is free to YouthZone volunteers.
Snowmass Rotary Club
Rotary
Robin Tolan and Lisa Sobke presented an introduction to Restorative Justice at the Snowmass Rotary Club in February. The club is a donor of YouthZone's Restorative Justice. There were about 20 Rotarians present for the meeting who expressed a lot of interest in the program.
  
RJ with MIP's
                              
YouthZone is expanding the Restorative Justice program to do circles with kids who have Minor in Possession charges. We did our first circle in March with three kids who were caught smoking marijuana at school. School and parent participation made it a big success.
  
Direct Referrals from Aspen Police Dept.
Lisa Sobke met with the Aspen Police Department to discuss doing Direct Referrals to YouthZone's Restorative Justice Program.   This would add an "extra layer of discretion" for officers to use instead of writing tickets. Chief Pryor recognizes the importance of keeping kids out of our court system. Longmont's Police Department has used this system successfully for many years and is sharing information with Chief Pryor and YouthZone.
  
    RJ Quick Tip        
 
It's easy to use the words "but" and "should" in an RJ circle. As RJ facilitators and volunteers, we really want the youth to learn something in the circle.  However, using "but" and "should" can negate the previous thought.
Consider:
"I see that you wrote a letter of apology to your parents, but I wonder how else you can repair the harm."
                                               or
"I see that you wrote a letter of apology to your parents, and I wonder how else you can repair the harm."

Lisa Sobke, Restorative Justice Coordinator, (970)274-1049 
lsobke@youthzone.com