Needs From: Volunteer Leon

In our criminal cases—whether involving more serious harm (like burglary or attempted homicide) or lower-level offenses (like theft or criminal mischief)—there are times when directly harmed individuals cannot or do not wish to participate. In these situations, we seek Surrogate Impacted Parties—volunteers who have experienced a similar type of harm—to represent the human impact in the restorative process.

What You'll Do:
-Join a facilitated Community Conference as a surrogate for the impacted party
-Share your lived experience of a similar harm to help the responsible party understand the deeper impact of their actions
-Support a meaningful and empathetic conversation that focuses on accountability and healing
-Contribute to co-creating repair agreements with the responsible party

Training & Support:
We’ll provide full training through our self-paced Community Conference Training Manual and work closely with you to ensure you feel prepared and supported throughout the process. We welcome volunteers with lived experience across a wide range of harm—from shoplifting to more serious crimes—who feel ready to support others through restorative dialogue.

In some of our criminal cases, there is no directly participating harmed party—such as when someone’s property is damaged, but the person impacted is unavailable or unwilling to participate. In these cases, RJ still happens with trained Community Representatives who help speak to the broader impact on our shared community.

What You'll Do:
-Participate in Community Conferences as a community voice
-Speak to how harms like these affect public trust, safety, and wellbeing
-Engage in dialogue that promotes reflection, accountability, and repair
-Model empathy and active listening

Training & Support:
We provide all the training you need, including our self-paced Community Conferencing Training Manual and personalized preparation for each case. No prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to listen, share, and support healing. It’s especially helpful if you’re active in the community or have some awareness of how crime and harm affect those around us.