.jpg)
Welcome to the True Dialogue Restorative Justice Centre
"Nothing about us without us."
Mission Statement
To build capacity for delivering restorative justice (RJ) services in Alberta tailored to Indigenous persons, both on and off reserves and settlements. We aim to establish a central agency for practitioners and allies to design and deliver culturally relevant training and programs, ultimately informing a provincial restorative justice strategy that addresses the disproportionate representation of Indigenous peoples within the justice system.
Core Values
Respect for Indigenous Cultures: Honor and incorporate Indigenous knowledge, traditions, and values in all aspects of our work.
​
Collaboration and Partnership: Work collaboratively with Indigenous communities, practitioners, and allies to achieve our objectives.
​
Equity and Inclusion: Strive to create an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and respected, and where systemic barriers to justice are addressed.
​
Accountability: Maintain transparency and accountability in our actions, decisions, and use of resources.
Innovation: Embrace innovative approaches to restorative justice that are responsive to the unique needs and contexts of Indigenous communities.
Objectives
Objective #1
Create opportunities for practitioners and partners to connect, collaborate, and network. This will enable participants to benefit from one another's experience and insight. This forum will also support opportunities for mentorship and camaraderie to attend to practitioner wellness, continual learning, and growth.
Objective #2
Produce a comprehensive AIRJA (Alberta Indigenous Restorative Justice in Action) “What We Heard Report” by synthesizing data from the Alberta Indigenous Engagement and ARJA into relevant aspects of the Report to identify possible areas of collaboration and themes and provide recommendations to inform the development of the Alberta Restorative Justice Strategy and Program.
Objective #3
Engage Indigenous practitioners and allies to support the creation of culturally relevant facilitation competencies, training curricula, and core modules.
Identified Needs
Relationship Building: Continue relationship building to develop a cohesive Indigenous restorative and traditional justice practitioner’s network.
​
Experiential Wisdom and Elder Guidance: Inclusion of experiential practitioner wisdom and Elder guidance in developing a provincial RJ strategy and program.
​
Capacity Building for Practitioners: Build capacity for Indigenous practitioners and open opportunities for racialized and non-Indigenous professionals (allies) dedicated to addressing the disproportionate representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice and child and family services system.
Deliverables
Networking Platform
Provide a platform to strengthen relationships where practitioners feel culturally safe sharing their knowledge, experiences, stories, and insights.
"What We Heard Report":
Cross-reference findings with the Government of Alberta (GOA) and Alberta Restorative Justice Association (ARJA) and provide a consolidated summary report profiling recommendations and considerations for developing an Indigenous Stream. Use the networking platform established in Deliverable #1 to validate the results and next steps.
Develop facilitation skills competencies and core training curriculum modules.
Training Curriculum:
Strategies
Training Programs: Develop and deliver comprehensive training programs for practitioners that are culturally relevant and informed by Indigenous knowledge and practices.
Resource Development: Create and disseminate resources, toolkits, and guidelines to support the delivery of restorative justice services.
Research and Evaluation: Conduct research to identify best practices and evaluate the impact of restorative justice programs on Indigenous communities.
Policy Advocacy: Engage with policymakers to advocate for the inclusion of restorative justice practices in the provincial justice system.
Community Outreach: Implement outreach initiatives to engage with Indigenous communities, raise awareness about restorative justice, and gather feedback to inform program development.