Please come participate in an "Experiential Introduction to Restorative Circles" on Sunday, September 19th from 12:15 to 1 p.m. in the Parlor Room, sponsored by the Religious Education Committee.
Restorative Circles are an approach to addressing conflict and disconnection in a community that is based on Nonviolent Communication and indigenous peace-making practices (see www.restorativecircles.org [3]). It is a process that is quite compatible with Quaker practices. Restorative Circles been recently recognized by the UK National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts as a practice that delivers "much better public outcomes for much lower cost." and is "demonstrably different, better and lower cost than traditional approaches" and is thus considered a practice of "radical efficiency." (www.NESTA.org.uk [4]).
Jane Connor, a new attender at FMW and former resident student at Pendle Hill, will be doing the presentation. She is a certified trainer of Nonviolent Communication, a licensed psychologist, has trained (9 days) with the developer of the process, Dominic Barter of Brazil, and has facilitated circles in the U.S., Uganda and Kenya.
If there is sufficient initial interest in this Restorative Circles technique, a half-day workshop covering the full experiential and cognitive components of guiding Circle may be offered Saturday, October 9th. Please come even if you are not available October 9th -- this date is tentative.
