What exactly are “Restorative Circles”?
A circle discussion is a process that supports communities and groups
to deal with conflicts constructively and learn from them. The concept of Restorative Circles was developed by Dominic Barter in Brazil. Since 1994 it has shown new ways to personal responsibility and healing. It is a dialogue with all those involved in the conflict based on non-violent communication. This orientation is an important part of my restorative justice concept "Affected Person-Oriented Work in the Prison System (BoAS)" and so I was very happy that Heidrun Fiedler , a direct student of Dominic Barter, offered further training on this topic in her academy. We were a small group and Heidrun guided us through the weekend lovingly and vividly. The mix of theory and practice was perfect and I wrote many pages of content that I want to keep for my personal growth and for my work.
In the early days of human communities, long before buildings and structures made of stone, people met regularly in a circle around a fire. This circle allowed for free exchange, joint planning and the sharing of stories, without a set hierarchy. The fire symbolized the center towards which everyone was aligned, and whoever spoke addressed the community as a whole. A speaking stick was often used, which allowed the speaker to be heard undisturbed while the others listened attentively. This rhythm brought calm and encouraged deep, reflective conversation that minimized superficial exchanges. If one looks historically at the modern arrangement of rectangular tables or tile views in video conferences, these developments would be only a tiny part of the long tradition of the circle.
I work in circles as often as possible. Even in prison, when I accompany the restorative justice circle dialogues of prisoners, victims of crime and people from society. My experiences are consistently positive and so is the feedback from the participants. I believe that this creates a connection to a collective memory in which everyone is heard equally. Even if the central fire is often replaced today by a symbolic center such as flowers or decorations, it gives the attention and the conversation a common direction and creates space for shared insights and creative ideas.
Circle discussions are more than "just" talking to each other in a circle. They are accompanied by at least two facilitators, and the focus is on a conflict/topic that can be considered/worked on. The facilitators always ask two central questions: "Is that what you want to hear? And from whom?" and "How did you understand what was said?". In this way, they enable people to talk to each other in a truthful and authentic way. It was an enriching and moving training session for me, in which people worked creatively and I was also able to gather some ideas about how restorative practices can become even more widespread in the penal system.
I feel particularly enriched by the intensive exchange with Rehzi Malzahn, who wrote a fantastic book called "Restorative Justice" and is a clever and innovative penal abolitionist activist . Rehzi Malzahn | Bringing contradictions into a continuous form.
Comments