Claudia Christen-Schneider, Switzerland
Claudia is the founder and president of the Swiss RJ Forum. She received her MSc in Criminology & Criminal Justice from the University of Portsmouth (UK) and studied restorative justice at Simon Frazer University (SFU) in Canada. She is also a certified mediator. Claudia is strongly involved in the development of restorative justice in Switzerland and is very passionate about ensuring that any restorative processes are trauma-informed with all stakeholders. She is also an active member of the EFRJ's Values & Standards Committee and the Editorial Committee.
In her presentation, Claudia will briefly explain what trauma-informed care (TIC) is and why this approach is so important for RJ practice. She will discuss why it is important to work in a trauma-informed way with all stakeholders and how the integration of TIC can increase the safety and effectiveness of restorative processes, as well as client satisfaction. In addition, she will present some results of a recent study which offer concrete ideas on how TIC can be integrated into restorative approaches. Finally, she will raise questions that may be relevant for further research to promote a broader understanding of the need for trauma-informed RJ practice.
Joe Brummer, USA
Joe has been the victim of two separate violent anti-gay hate crimes and what began as a personal healing response to the trauma, he has transformed into professional involvement in the field of community and restorative justice. Since 2010, Joe has actively helped schools implement peer mediation programs and school-wide restorative practices. As a private consultant beginning in 2015, Joe has designed a trauma-informed approach of restorative practices and infused this model in dozens of schools.
In this presentation, Joe will introduce a method of implementation for Trauma-Informed Restorative Practices that integrates the concepts of trauma-informed care, restorative practices, mindfulness, Nonviolent Communication, and Collaborative and Proactive Solutions through a lens of change management and equity. Joe will present ways we can streamline the implementation process to be less overwhelming, more cost-efficient, and more sustainable. The presentation will demonstrate how setting up a supportive infrastructure can make the implementation process more impactful and humanizing for school communities.
