Restorative Justice/Practices Training
January 27-30, 2025 ~ 9am to 5pm each day @ Flat Cap Ventures in Traverse City, MI
In-Person training! ~ Light breakfast and lunch will be provided each day.
Choose Days 1-2, Days 3-4, or Days 1-4.
Day 1: Introduction to Restorative Practices
Learn the historical roots of restorative practices and underlying philosophies which guide the practice. Gain practical strategies and skills for building strong, healthy relationships with students, families, clients, employees, and colleagues. Includes engagement in several interactive learning activities.
Day 2: Using Circles Effectively
Learn skills and guidelines for facilitating circles in a variety of settings; from schools and neighborhoods to families, workplaces and community groups. Circle processes provide a way for people to come together to build community and relationship, strengthen bonds, explore content and solve community problems. Participants learn circle facilitation skills through practical application and discussion, as well as experiential group learning activities.
Books included in registration are: The Restorative Practices Handbook and The Little Book of Restorative Teaching Tools
Days 3 & 4: Facilitating Restorative Justice Conferences
Prerequisite requirements:
Attendance in Day 1: Introduction to Restorative Practices and Day 2: Using Circles Effectively
Participants will receive instruction on the fundamentals of facilitating a formal restorative justice conference in response to an incident of harm or wrongdoing. The restorative justice conferencing process brings together, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in the harm (those impacted and those who caused the harm) to collectively identify and address harms, needs and obligations, in order to heal and put things as right as possible. Participants will engage in significant practice and role play involving all components of preparing for and facilitating a restorative justice conference.
Restorative Justice Conferencing book is included in the registration.
About the Trainer
Cindy Garwood is a licensed Restorative Practices Facilitator and Trainer through the
International Institute of Restorative Practices, and founder of Circles To Connect, LLC. As a licensed social worker in the State of Michigan, she has served families, schools and communities for over 35 years, focusing on the following: the development of effective communication and conflict resolution skills, substance abuse prevention and education, positive youth development, parent education, and restorative practices facilitation and training.
As the Restorative Practices Program Manager and School Restorative Practices Facilitator in Kent County, MI, Cindy gained extensive experience including: facilitating community building and responsive circles with students and staff in a school setting; coordinating and facilitating Restorative Justice Conferencing of cases through Juvenile and Adult Court referrals; providing numerous restorative practices trainings for school staff and other community groups, as well as the Police Academy Cadet Program at Grand Valley State University.
As a grateful member of this beautiful Northern Michigan home and community, Cindy enjoys hiking, cross country skiing, water play, and taking in the extraordinary bounty of the natural world. She relishes her time spent with family, and looks forward to traveling with her husband of 40 years during their retirement years ahead.
Cindy is driven by her belief in the connection of all life, the importance of community, and that all of us, particularly our young people, need to feel a sense of belonging. Because humans are hard wired for connection, she hopes that we, as a society, find more ways to increase our intentionality around strengthening relationships between individuals as well as social connections and within communities. Cindy believes restorative practices can play an important role towards such a goal.
Registration Form
Choose your registration options on the next page.