workshop for neiehgborhoods

Kris Nelson (nelso193@maroon.tc.umn.edu)
Mon, 25 Jan 1999 17:06:48


This workshop (free) may be of interest to people on this list.  Kay Pranis 
is a terrific person and a nationally known expert on restorative justice.

Peacemaking Circle Training


Training for use of circle process in multiple sectors of the community

A training for use of the circle process in various settings in 
Minneapolis/Hennepin County will be held February 16, 17, 18, & 19, 1999.  
There is no charge for the training, but attendance is limited so 
registration is necessary.  It is important to attend the entire training. 
The training will be held at Pilot City, 1315 Penn Avenue North, Minneapolis 
from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.

Peacemaking circles draw on the native tradition of talking circles and 
incorporate contemporary peacemaking and consensus building techniques to 
help people come together to resolve difficult issues or make decisions 
which respect the needs of all interests.

The circle process is currently being used most extensively for criminal 
sentencing, child abuse and neglect cases and school behavior problems.  
Additional applications are being pioneered for conflict resolution, 
departmental budget decisionmaking, information sharing, team building, 
discrimination or harassment complaints, landlord-tenant disputes, and labor 
negotiations.  This training is intended to extend the use of the circle 
process to diverse sectors of the community to strengthen the overall 
capacity of the community to resolve problems and make decisions which 
represent the interests of all affected parties.

The circle process  has the potential to reshape the practice of democracy 
at the community and organizational level.  Minnesota is at the forefront of 
developing multiple applications of this way of bringing people together for 
collective action or collective understanding.

We are interested in developing a wide variety of uses of the circle.  If 
you have an interest in the circle process and a commitment to using the 
process in your work or community please call me about possible 
participation.



Kay Pranis, Restorative Justice Planner
Minnesota Department of Corrections
Phone:  (651) 642-0329

Kris Nelson 
Neighborhood Planning for Community Revitalization
612/625-1020
nelso193@tc.umn.edu
http://freenet.msp.mn.us/org/npcr