CCRJP & CCASA:  FOCUSING ON Building Relationships of Mutuality, Trust, and Connection

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

The beauty of partnerships is each partner embodies roles which support the collaborative to be non-duplicative and cross-generative. Through our ongoing RJ/TJ Committee, CCRJP and CCASA collaborations continue to be of incredible mutual learning, trust-building and connection. Each session helps us to see the bigger picture together and continues to be a secure and deep place where we can bring difficult or confusing questions and seek out shared solutions. Topics include:

• accessibility in restorative circle practice
• trauma-informed approaches to RJ
• social ecosystem approach to collaboration
• policy implementation challenges, and paths forward
• and more!

CCASA RJ Circle Training Hosted in March

from Agueda Morgan

In March, CCASA in collaboration with Restorative Justice partnerships worked to create the opportunity for advocates and CCASA member partners to learn Restorative Justice Circles. The training facilitation was led by Liz Porter-Merril & Lynn Lee; we had the opportunity to be in community with 11 amazing members of the Colorado community from different areas of the state.

The training was an incredible opportunity for the sexual violence and restorative justice field to reflect and connect with the different aspects of the work we all do and how these interconnect. The success of the training happened thanks to the incredible connection and trust that was built by the participants, their openness and willingness to be vulnerable, open to learning and to be and see others as complete human beings. In addition to that, the training facilitators, interpreters and all the people behind the effort deserve a great thank you and to be recognized for their support.

Some of the feedback we got: “amazing & inclusive experience” “appreciate the sense of welcoming, validating and accepting experience” “walk away feeling stronger and with tangible skills & resources”.

The most important takeaway is that the Circle process is a tool that can help create connection and build community trust and healing. If you and your agency is interested, please reach out to CCASA at info@ccasa.org

Upcoming CAIA Panel

On June 12th, our RJ/TJ Committee will be presenting at the Colorado Advocacy in Action Conference (CAIA) in Colorado Springs. Overall, our panel presentation is a way to walk the walk and take a moment to share about the ways the values and foundational principles of RJP have made the work possible, set the stage for generative conflict, and collaboration. In making this visible as a model, offering feedback, and accountability feels like a critical next step. Join us at the conference!

Module Project

This summer, our committee is launching a free online learning module that is a primer for restorative and transformative practices for advocates, especially those in the sexual- and gender-based violence field.

• developing an online learning module designed specifically for advocates working with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence to illustrate how RJ can be a powerful resource for their work (given the right circumstances and the will of the survivor, of course)
• featuring content and insights from over 15 community partners
• made possible through a generous grant from the RJ Council

Summit in September

After truly incredible feedback around the way the 2023 summit was in-person and as a shared event between CCASA and CCRJP, we are already entering planning stages to host the next one this September 25th and 26th in Denver – mark your calendars! We are again planning to center individual, community, and agency learning in an embodied and applied way. For more on our shared partnership goals, see this article.