CJI’s Sulah or Identity-based Harm Services offer restorative approaches to community members who have experienced identity-based harm, as well as those who have caused harm, and those who support them. Recognizing that punishment will not undo harm or transform intolerance and discrimination, Sulah offers non-punitive services to fostering acceptance and belonging.Â
Services are voluntary and at no cost.
Trained Sulah facilitators can support individuals and groups to repair harm and restore relationships. They can also help groups explore and make decisions about needs assessments, cultivating understanding, plans for being in relationship, and fostering accountability.
Sulah facilitators are equipped with trauma-informed approaches and culturally competent care to walk alongside participants. We hold space for folks who have contributed to identity-based harm and those impacted by it.
Some examples of harm: racial slurs, derogatory graffiti, acts of violence, mocking someone for wearing religious or cultural clothing etc.
Restorative approaches to conflict intervention include face-to-face mediation, shuttle mediation, surrogacy mediation, facilitated dialogue, and Dialogue Circles.
Our facilitators also offer conflict prevention services, such as presentations and facilitated learning. Organizations and communities may seek assistance to:
Most of our mediation services are free. However, we have a sliding fee scale for our workplace mediations and training.
Mediation is a conflict resolution process used to help individuals, families, neighbours, coworkers and classmates to resolve conflict. During a mediation, trained facilitators ensure that everyone has a chance to speak and to listen. Participants discuss how a situation impacted them and ask questions. All are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, listen to others’ perspectives and to repair harm. At the end of the mediation, participants leave with a mutually acceptable plan to move forward.
Forgiveness is not essential to a mediation. In a victim-offender mediation, the full benefit of victim’s needs being met and offender accountability can occur completely without forgiveness. Â
Mediation is a voluntary process that requires the engagement of all parties involved to be successful. When an inquiry is made, a CJI Service Coordinator will contact all parties to confirm their desire to participate. If there is consensus to proceed with mediation, two mediators are assigned to the case. Mediators have an initial confidential one-on-one meeting with each participant, called case development. During case developments, mediators explore the relationship and the causes of conflict from each participant’s perspective. After case developments are concluded, the mediator will arrange a face-to-face mediation with all participants.
Meeting rooms at CJI’s offices serve well as a neutral location for mediations. Where appropriate, we also host mediations in other neutral spaces such as a community centres. Many of our Elder Mediations occur where older adults are residing – their homes, retirement homes, long term care facilities, etc.
CJI’s mediators are trained and supervised volunteers who have completed the Transformative Mediation Training through Conrad Grebel University College. Mediators work in pairs, co-facilitating with each other. This allows for a matching of skills and experience. The mediators support each other and the participants through the process
Mediation works best if all people involved in a situation participate. Offenders are crucial to the process in that they can answer victims’ questions and can talk with the victim about ways to repair the emotional and material harm (to the degree that it is possible). The process can also be beneficial to the offender as s/he is able to take direct and personal accountability for their actions, as well as learn directly from the victim about the consequences of their actions.
Protecting participants’ safety is our first concern.  Our service carefully screens cases for safety before they meet face-to-face. Our mediators also use strategies and specific techniques to ensure that participants are safe. After all options have been exhausted, the face-to-face meeting does not happen if the participants do not feel safe.
CJI creatively, and innovatively applies restorative justice principles to challenging community problems.
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