Creating Restorative Communities

Restorative practice (RP) is an emerging social science that studies building, maintaining and repairing relationships and community. For the last seven years, ELI has been leading a community RP project within Dublin’s North East Inner City. Its initial focus was to create a network of locally-based RP advocates, who would share learning and develop joint activities to promote the use of RP within organisations, and across the community. Over the years, it has developed into a complex integrated system of learning, development, support and mentoring. This Community Action Research (CAR) project has gathered data across its seven years — through surveys, observations and organisational self-reflection. Indicative evidence suggests that RP is effective in improving peoples’ ability to build relationships and manage conflict, with participants in the project recognising the multiple benefits of RP. There is also evidence of a relationship between higher levels of implementation of RP and greater levels of improved outcomes in an organisation. This presentation will share these indications of the benefits of the project, while also considering the long-term strategic approach required to sustain and embed restorative change within the community