1. Sister donna Liette, c.pp.s
Circle Process
Sister donna Liette, c.pp.s

2. Peace Circles
Brings together the ancient wisdom of community and the contemporary value of respect for individual gifts, needs, and differences in a process that: (fire, table, circle…Church…)
Honors the presence and dignity of every person
Values the contributions of every participant
Emphasizes the connectedness of all things
Supports emotional and spiritual expression
Gives equal voice to all

3. Information from Kay Pranis’s Book:
The Little Book of Circle Processes

4. Places for Circles Schools (Judge Hogan’s plan)
Social Services (Team building)
Workplaces (Strategic plans)
Neighborhoods (Rival gangs)
Churches (Mergers…)
Justice Systems
Families

5. Circle components Name Tags Ice Breakers (holistic – whole person)
Rituals (Chiming in – lighting a candle, music, deep breathing, poetry, prayer)
A Talking Piece
Circle Keepers
Shared Values (foundation)
Guidelines (shared commitment for safety)
Consensus Decision-Making

6. Types of circles Healing Celebration Support Conflict Reintegration
Sentencing

7. Foundations of Circles

10. Opening rituals Honor presence of everyone
Help to center/connect participants
Awareness of core values
Create sacred, safe space
CHECK-IN

11. Closing Rituals Acknowledge efforts Affirm interconnectedness
Convey hope for the future
Prepare for return to ordinary space
CHECK-OUT

12. Guidelines Adopted by consensus of the Circle
Establish clear expectations for conduct
Based on what is needed to create a safe space

13. Talking piece
Creating space in which participants can speak from a deep place of truth
Slows the pace of conversation
Carries symbolic meaning
Creates a level of order in the sharing
Gives each person a voice
No judgment on passing
Sankofa

14. Keepers of the circle Create and keep a safe and respectable space
Engage participants in sharing responsibility for space
Need an ability to let go of control and share responsibility for the process and outcomes with participants

15. Consensus Decision-Making
All participants are willing to live with the decision and support its implementation
Consensus give power to everyone
Attitude of exploration rather than of conquering or persuading

16. Storytelling Circles are a storytelling process
Personal narratives are the source of insight and wisdom
Strengthens a sense of connectedness, fosters self-reflection, and empowers participants
Having others listen to your story can bring healing and understanding

17. Four relational elements of circles
Developing Plans/Sense of Unity
Meeting,
Getting
Acquainted
Addressing Vision/Issues (content)
Building Understanding and Trust

18. Stages of Circle Processes
Determining suitability
Preparation
Convening all parties
Follow-up

19. Stage 1: Determining Suitability
Are key parties willing to participate?
Are trained keepers available?
Will the situation allow the time required to use the Circle Process?
Can physical and emotional safety be maintained?

20. Stage 2: Preparation Identify who needs to participate:
Who has been impacted?
Who has resources, skills, or knowledge that might be needed?
Who has similar life experiences that might add insight?
Familiarize key parties with the process.
Begin exploring the context of the issue.

21. Stage 3: Convening all parties
Hospitality and safety
Express feelings – check-in
Identify shared values and develop guidelines
Engage storytelling to build relationships and connections
Victim shares harm done
Offender addresses his role in the issue
Determine actions for repairing the harm
Circle consensus
Develop agreement and clarify responsibilites

22. Stage 4: Follow-up
Assess progress on agreements. Are all parties fulfilling their obligations?
Seek for causes of any failure to fulfill an obligation, clarify responsibilities, and identify next steps if the failure continues
Adjust agreements as needed based on new information or developments
Celebrate successes

23. Peace Circles
We create a space that is respectful and reflective, people can find their way through anger, pain, and fear to find common ground and take care of one another. “Circles take the hard things and bring out the goodness in all.” - Circle participant

25. Spiritually Fit/balanced
 Wellness Circle
Spiritually Fit/balanced
Emotionally Fit/balanced
Mentally Fit/balanced
Physically Fit/balanced

26. Let’s plan a circle Why a circle? Is it appropriate? Type of Circle
Preparation: (who, where, when, circle keepers….)
Cloth, talking pieces, candle,
CIRCLE
Ice Breaker
Check-in
Opening Ritual (Ribbon… Safe Place Sharing…)
Values/Guidelines -Consensus
Questions:
What is next? Follow-up – especially with sentencing circles …what do you need?
Check-out Closing Ritual (drumming…)