Our Restorative Justice in Education Initiative Page Has Been Updated!

We are really excited to share that our Restorative Justice in Education Page has been updated with new information related to the Justice Lab Initiatives. Please have a look at our updated page or read more here. 

The Youth Justice Lab was born in response to the many unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2020, we welcomed 15 youth, 6 guest speakers, and 9 mentors to a transformative six weeks together. Over that period, we dove deep into issues of social and Restorative Justice (RJ), including the Indigenous Roots of RJ, decolonization, racial struggles, multi-generational activism, art as a vehicle for change, and a lot more. The success of this pilot program inspired us to expand our services centering youth, and the initiatives below branch out from this pioneering endeavor. You can read more about the inaugural Youth Justice Lab in our program report. 

School Justice Lab

Starting in February of 2021, we are bringing our Youth Justice Lab model into schools! With our partners at Queensbury Elementary, Sutherland Secondary, and Mountainside Secondary, we are launching a ten-week in-class School Justice Lab program. Similar to our other Justice Lab Initiatives, NSRJ staff and guest speakers will collaborate to explore issues of social and Restorative Justice in engaging ways. We are connecting with teachers to co-create a program that is relevant to each class and their unique needs. Given COVID-19 guidelines, the School Justice Lab is likely to start online, yet we would love to plan for in-person sessions if restrictions allow. If you are interested in bringing our program to your school, please get in touch.  

Summer Justice Lab

The Summer Justice Lab is an online participatory course open to North Shore youth between 15 and 19 years old.  Between July and August, we will gather weekly to hear from NSRJ staff and a variety of guest speakers on issues of justice and their many intersections. You can expect to dive deep, as we will get into group discussions where each of our perspectives is fundamental to collective learning and growth. You will also join a smaller group to meet regularly and develop a project for your community. You will meet mentors, ask big questions, and perhaps even make new friends. In the words of a previous participant: “It [the Lab] exceeded my expectations! I honestly wasn't expecting to find such a strong sense of community!”. If this sounds like the right program for you or someone that you know, please sign up to be notified when applications are open for the 2021 Summer Justice Lab.