A youth restorative community conference is a two-time meeting, either face-to-face or virtual, between the person(s) harmed/community, the guardian/parents of the youth, and the youth who caused harm. Led by a trained facilitator, this encounter seeks to identify, repair, and prevent harm based in values of meaningful accountability. Participation of the community and/or persons harmed is completely voluntary, and participation of the referred youth is based upon their willingness and readiness. Conferences focus on empowering the participants by looking at underlying causes to co-create a restorative agreement to be completed in a timely manner. This process includes four steps:
1) Intake
A phone conversation between the parent/guardian of a person who has caused harm (referred participant) and the Youth Conference Coordinator to determine eligibility
An in-person or virtual meeting between the Youth Conference Coordinator, the youth who caused harm, and the parent/guardian of the referred youth, to describe the process more fully. This meeting prepares the youth for the conference, and enrolls them in the program
2) Orientation
3) Community Conference
(a) Discussion of Impact — Together, all parties discuss what happened, what led to the behavior, and who was affected. Anyone directly harmed and/or their supporters are welcome to participate. (b) Creating an Agreement – Through consensus, the group creates an agreement for the referred youth to take accountability, repair harm, and move forward in positive ways. The agreement is not a punishment; it is a meaningful and constructive way to make amends. Agreements are unique to each individual and could include elements such as community service, letters, personal development, or other activities.
Each referred youth has 30 days from the date of the conference to complete the agreement, at which time everyone reconvenes to discuss the outcome of the agreement. If the referred youth successfully completes the agreement, there will be no further interaction with the criminal legal system.
4) Agreement Completion