Inclusive Excellence Restorative Justice Initiative provides support to students, staff, and faculty who are seeking to address conflicts and challenges within a restorative framework. Restorative justice allows parties to work collaboratively with certified facilitators to develop a process to address harm, center accountability, and identify a path towards resolution.
To set up a consultation, contact Dr. Sara Childers, assistant vice provost for inclusive excellence, at childers.23@osu.edu.
What is restorative justice?
Restorative Justice is a community-based approach to address and prevent harm, with a focus on healing, accountability, and social support to all parties involved. Rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and traditions, restorative justice practices are extremely effective and dignity-based approaches to resolving harm. Interest in and adaptation of these processes has grown globally into a field of professional practice and academic scholarship. Restorative justice services can now be found working in tandem with criminal justice systems, K-12 education, and post-secondary conduct and compliance. Restorative justice utilizes circles and conferences to provide structured opportunities for parties to address harm and accountability and to collaboratively seek resolution.
What are the benefits of restorative justice?
- Addresses harm, prevent harm, and to proactively build community
- Strengthens communities and re-establish relationships
- Emphasizes our core humanity and the respect and dignity of all involved
- Based in active accountability and communal problem solving
- Based in consent and is trauma informed
- Centers the needs of those harmed and strives for learning, growth, and reintegration of parties who cause harm.
- Aligns with The Ohio State University's shared values, learning goals, and supports student and employee development and retention
What does a Restorative Justice process look like?
- Intake – Units or individuals can reach out proactively to our office, or HR, compliance, or a related unit can refer a concern. We will schedule an initial consultation to determine if a restorative process is appropriate. We would then reach out to all of those involved to invite their participation in a conference or circle process. Participation is voluntary and can end at any time.
- Pre-conference or Circle Preparation Process – RJ staff will meet separately with individuals involved in the conflict or challenge using a structured preparation process. We will work with participants to develop a circle or conference that centers processing harm and impact while focusing on repair and resolution. Once all parties agree to the process and feel ready to meet, we will schedule the conference or circle.
- Conference or Circle – Parties engage a facilitated process: a conference focused on repairing harm and if appropriate, to devise a resolution or reparative agreement; or a circle based in active-listening and focused on community restoration.
- Evaluation – Participants will be asked to evaluate the restorative justice process via an electronic survey.
Restorative Justice Options
Once we receive your request, RJ staff will schedule a 30-minute consultation to determine the best way to meet the needs of your concern. We will typically utilize two approaches:
- Circles are ways to engage communities around a variety of issues. Circles center listening, learning, and growth. They can build, restore, or resolve relationships. We can use circle processes for conflict resolution and to process harm and challenges.
- A conference is a circle practice that is structured around processing harm, supporting active accountability, and finding ways to reach repair. Facilitators are trained to maintain a multi-perspectival approach that emphasizes the core humanity of all involved. The goal is to work towards resolution, healing, and when appropriate, reintegration.
We may also recommend workshops from our education program that can be used to respond to concerns or proactively develop skills to prevent harm or address challenges in the future.
Restorative Justice circles can also be used for team and community building, to establish shared agreements, to celebrate and appreciate one and other.
About Our Certified Facilitators
Sophia Antoun, MA
Sophia Antoun (she/her) received her master’s degree in International Education Development from Columbia University, where she was awarded the prestigious Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity (AC4) Fellowship. As an AC4 fellow, Sophia's research focused on navigating the complexities of relationship building and meaningful cultural exchange between Egyptians and Cairo's growing Chinese expatriate community. Sophia has been an educator for 13 years, focusing on helping students of all ages develop the personal and interpersonal skills needed to build relationships across difference. She specializes in non-violent communication strategies, mindfulness education, transformative education and social justice education. In her role as education specialist, she oversees and facilitates the Inclusive Excellence Education program, which has to date engaged with over 12,000 participants. She received her Restorative Justice (RJ) training from the University of San Diego's Center for Restorative Justice, where she completed a 1-year certificate program in RJ Facilitation and Leadership. She also completed Columbia University's Teaching Human Rights training and it a 200-hour certified yoga and mindfulness instructor. Sophia’s connection to restorative justice is shaped by RJ's shift from punishment to accountability practices. She deeply resonates with RJ frameworks prioritizing accountability and healing as the ultimate goals of justice. To learn more about Sophia, you can view her 2022 TED Talk, When am I from?
Sara M. Childers, PhD
Dr. Childers (she/her) serves as assistant vice provost for inclusive excellence. Her role supports the university’s mission to grow a campus culture of well-being, mattering, and belonging where all students and employees can fully thrive. She coordinates support for the inclusive excellence community, collaborates and consults on enterprise-wide projects, and oversees and facilitates the new Restorative Justice Initiative. Prior to this position, she served as assistant director for The Women’s Place, director of Strategic Diversity Initiatives for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and assistant professor of educational research at the University of Alabama. She holds a doctorate in educational policy, a master’s degree in curriculum studies, a second master’s in social studies education, and an undergraduate degree in women’s studies. She has published in top-tier journals in her field and received 2 awards for her ethnographic research. She completed her 1-year professional certificate in Restorative Justice Facilitation and Leadership with the University of San Diego. Dr. Childers’ interest in restorative justice stems from her family’s history with crime and detention, as well as seeing the need for restorative options in higher education. She also volunteers with a national mental health organization where she facilitates programs that teach families the skills they need to support their loved ones, which has also greatly informed how she approaches her work.
Need more information or a consultation?
Contact Dr. Sara Childers, assistant vice provost for Inclusive excellence, to learn more or schedule a consultation.