Name: Rhian Williams

Email Address: mizrhian@yahoo.com.au

Message: Thank you for the invitation to attend the session yesterday. As has been said relationships are at the heart of restorative processes. Returning, creating and maintaining a sense of connection – mostly to people who feel that this connection has never existed or where it has it is now broken. This is hard work but it is the work of making our communities safe, welcoming and inclusive places that support all to flourish.

It seems to me that if Canberra is to embrace becoming a restorative community one of the key things we will need to do is ignite the imagination of our fellow Canberrans about this idea. Our imagination is ignited when we hear the stories of how restorative processes work. Stories like the one shared at the meeting of the woman who met with the man who had burgled her house and who was able to show how this event, that seemed no big deal to him, had completely destroyed her life. Yet having the opportunity to explain this offered healing to both. 

One of the key steps in any restorative process is the telling of story – sharing our story is the beginning of sharing understanding. I don’t really know what a restorative community would look like – I have a lot of ideas though, but I don’t feel I understand enough the ideas of the others who want to pursue this ideal as well. But I want to. All of which means I want to hear more stories.

Someone said yesterday that restorative process is more than just restorative justice. Indeed it is. Restorative processes happen everywhere but to paraphrase the great satirist Terry Pratchett there is no justice there is just us working out what to do. 

I would like to propose an invitation for a restorative story telling get together. Come to listen and to speak. If you wish to share a story let’s have a 5 minute limit so as many great stories as possible can be told. Each story should showcase one example of restorative practice from any context. 

If you this idea is of interest please let me know and I would be happy to help make it happen.

Thanks again. 
Rhiân Williams