Thread by @iancriminology

Glad to see new guidance published in the last few days on using #restorativepractices online (virtual circles) to support students and colleagues through #COVID19. There is, it turns out, much we can do virtually at this time... (Thread)

I've participated in two weekly virtual circles, facilitated by @EmmaAWheatley. These have focused on helping youth workers and others in North-East Inner City Dublin discuss their challenges and finds ways to support young people in this time. #youthwork #Dublin #NEIC

This week, I'll facilitate virtual circles to check-in with our second- and third-year undergrad #criminology students @MaynoothUni @MaynoothLaw. We'll see if virtual circles can help regain some of the connection we've lost by not being on campus together.

Last Fri, I facilitated a virtual circle for my new MA module LW687 #RestorativeJustice. This gave the group a chance to check-in with each other in terms of how we are doing, and also speak about the (mostly useless & blabbering) materials I'd recorded for them in recent weeks.

This module, when on campus, was delivered entirely using circles anyway, so it was great to be able to do this. However, I/we were extremely lucky that all could join; I checked in with students first to ensure they could join before organsing this; also there are only 14 of us.

For those of you who would like to try using virtual circles to support your students and colleagues at this time, you can find guidance on delivering online support circles in response to social distancing from Kay Pranis here:

livingjusticepress.org/vertical/sites…

You can find further guidance on using virtual community circles with school students in response to the coronavirus more broadly from Laura Mooiman here:

…a-425a-9ff9-376018e60d12.filesusr.com/ugd/621846_222…

This isn't something all can do. Practitioners, teachers, profs & students w/ caring responsibilities etc. don't have time to organise/join; others don't have access to tech. I don't have these worries so can provide extra support - inc. offering to call those who cannot join.

An offer to call individually is essential to the legitimacy and equity of above. Some simply cannot join for reasons beyond control & must not be excluded from additional support on that basis. But those of us w/ time on our hands must be the ones to take up the mantle on this.

Best of luck to all restorative practitioners at this time. Make sure to publish, post and share your experience and guidance so we can learn from each other and provide as much connection and support to our students, colleagues and communities as possible.