Circle Corps

What We Do

WHO IS CIRCLE CORPS
Circle Corps is a collective of restorative educators driven by an unwavering pursuit towards equity.
VALUES
Circle Corps is driven by a substantial belief that our collective pursuit towards peace and equity is powerful. As Helen Keller eloquently put it, “alone we can do little; together we can do so much.” We are relentlessly committed to social justice and equity in education with the acknowledgement that we need to address justice through healing and thus, a restorative approach. We are grounded in the indigenous gift of circle practice due to its story-telling traditions. We believe that the only way to change people’s minds is by transforming their hearts and the only way we transform people’s hearts is through story. That being said, we believe that the key to lasting change is two fold and must integrate intentional equity design both systematically (plans/policies) and systemically (ideas/beliefs). Circle Corps builds capacity within all the communities it serves by following implementation science and tailoring restorative learning to meet specific needs and strengths. In early adoption of the restorative framework it is especially important to maintain the understanding that inevitably this learning is to be passed on to the youth so that they may hold restorative work as their own. Resiliency and lasting change are products of this approach.
MISSION
Circle Corps strives to promote peace and elevate equity through the pathways of restorative practices and liberatory design. The mission at Circle Corps is to expand bandwidth through responsive and strategic capacity building. We believe in the power of design and acknowledge the importance of adaptable yet repeatable efforts. We create streamlined graphic design for all our restorative resources to enhance understanding and facilitate feasible adoption. The attention paid to nuanced details such as messaging and media development and delivery is a big focus at Circle Corps. We believe that successful systems change is more attainable when information is communicated in an easily accessible and engaging way. We achieve this through clean and consistent graphic design as well as other marketing best practices.
WHAT WE DO
Circle Corps facilitates workshops for deep reflection around equity through a restorative framework and supports community leaders to develop capacity and sustainability through innovative and strategic systems change. We teach skills to help improve the way in which we interact in the world.
While our services are unique and tailored to the needs of those we serve, Circle Corps remains constant in the sequential process of restorative learning and design. We believe that in order to promote peace, we need to address justice through healing. We use the 5Rs Framework (Dr. Beverly Title) to guide our restorative approach from prevention to intervention. Everything we do passes through the hand of equity, with each R comprehensively addressed.
RELATIONSHIP + RESPECT + RESPONSIBILITY + REPAIR + REINTEGRATION
Circle Corps’ offerings are aligned with the restorative continuum and focus on the following:
-Implementation Team Support: Cohort/TOT Model
-Equity & Cultural Identity
-Foundations of Restorative Practices
-Origins and Purpose of the Restorative Framework
-Neuroscience and Restorative Approach
-RP Alignment: Streamlining Efforts with Parallel Goals (PBIS, SEL, etc)
-RP as Trauma-Informed Support (ACES and NME)
-Introduction to Circle Keeping
-Understanding Behavior as Communication
-Restorative Language & Behaviors
-Restorative Readiness
-Deepening Circle Practice
-Restorative Conversations
-Responsive Circles
-Restorative Mediation
-Systems Alignment Support
-Strategic Equity Design
-Youth Leadership Development
-Family & Community Engagement
-Restorative Space Design Criteria
Our partnerships allow for greater opportunities to spark connections, develop trust, engage ALL voices in collective decision making, and promote liberation for community-driven change.

The organization has read and agree to abide by the Restorative Justice Facilitator Code of Conduct Standards: Yes

The organization offers Restorative Justice Services statewide: Yes

The organization offers Restorative Justice Training: Yes