Preparation
01 · Identify participants
- The person who caused harm, the person(s) who were harmed, and the community members who were affected or who care about those involved.
- In educational contexts: teacher, student, classmates. In organizational contexts: team members, supervisors. In community contexts: neighbors, family members.
02 · Pre-circles (individual conversations)
- The facilitator meets separately with each person before the group circle.
- In each pre-circle, the facilitator listens to the person's perspective, helps them understand the process, and asks them to prepare to genuinely hear the other parties.
- The key question at the end of each pre-circle: "Having heard what you've shared with me today, do you feel ready to be in the circle?"
Step-by-step instructions
1
Opening the circle
- The facilitator opens the circle, explains the process, and establishes the agreements: speaking from personal experience, listening without interrupting, respecting the talking object.
- The circle begins by hearing each person's story in their own words.
2
Understanding the impact
- The facilitator asks the person who was harmed to describe the impact of what happened — not only what they felt, but what needs went unmet.
- Then asks the person who caused harm: "What did you hear from what was just shared?"
- This structure — speaking, reflecting back, confirming — continues until each person feels genuinely heard.
3
Building mutual understanding
- The facilitator invites the person who caused harm to share what was happening for them at the moment of the action — not as a justification, but as context for understanding.
- Community members share how the situation affected them and what they need going forward.
4
Co-creating agreements
- The circle moves toward the question: "What is needed for this situation to be repaired?"
- Agreements are specific, voluntary, and verifiable: what will be done, by whom, and by when.
- Both parties must agree; no agreement is imposed.
5
Post-circle
- After an agreed period (usually 2-4 weeks), a follow-up meeting confirms whether agreements were honored.
- If not, a new conversation opens — not to punish, but to understand what got in the way.
Materials
Chairs arranged in a circle (no tables)
Talking object for the circle
Notebook or document to record agreements
Private individual spaces for the pre-circles
Digital tools
Practical recommendations
A restorative circle should never be convened without pre-circles. Bringing people together without individual preparation usually worsens the situation.
The facilitator's role is not to judge or arbitrate: it is to ensure that each person is genuinely heard and that the circle moves toward mutual understanding.
If the person who caused harm is not genuinely ready to hear the impact of their actions, it is better to postpone the circle than to go through with a process that will not be restorative.
In educational contexts: the restorative circle is a powerful alternative to suspension or disciplinary procedures, but requires trained facilitators and institutional support to function well.
Do not confuse restorative circles with mediation: in mediation, there is a neutral intermediary seeking a compromise. In the circle, the goal is mutual understanding, which is deeper and more transformative.
Inspiration
Questions for the pre-circle:
- "Can you tell me in your own words what happened?"
- "What was going on for you at that moment?"
- "What impact did this situation have on you?"
- "What do you need for this situation to be repaired?"
- "What would it mean to you to hear the other person in the circle?"
- "What did you hear from what was just shared? Can you put it in your own words?"
- "Is there anything else that needs to be said before we move forward?"
- "What agreement would help repair what happened?"
- Community circle: When the harm affected the broader community, the circle includes more voices and focuses on reweaving the collective fabric.
- Preventive circle: Used before conflicts escalate, to address tensions early in a structured way.
- School circle: Adapted for educational contexts, with age-appropriate language and the participation of teachers, students, and sometimes families.
Consulted sources
- Barter, D. (2011). Restorative Circles: A Community Approach. Calibre Institute / Nonviolent Communication.
- Zehr, H. (2002). The Little Book of Restorative Justice. Good Books.
- Pranis, K. (2005). The Little Book of Circle Processes. Good Books.
- Morrison, B. (2007). Restoring Safe School Communities. Federation Press.
