Our Sulah program continues to help meet the needs of people who have experienced harm because of their identity. Sulah also impacts people who have harmed others by helping to build empathy and true accountability. We often have people ask – how does Sulah meet the needs of our community and do people really participateRead more
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Pressure to address the affordable housing crisis in Ontario has only continued to build in our current pandemic context. Housing is considered affordable when less than 30% of household income is spent on rent and utilities. According to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (2020), about 25% of households in Ontario fall below theRead more
The vision of Community Justice Initiatives’ Caregiver Teen Services is to work alongside caregivers and teens to create conditions that support lasting behaviour change in the ways caregivers and teens interact when conflict arises. We know that caregiver and teen relationships develop within complex contexts, and power imbalances are inherent in these relationships. Therefore, improvingRead more
How Sulah helps us talk about harm caused by acts of Islamophobia, racism or xenophobia: It is our collective responsibility to create a society where we listen to peoples’ stories and respect what is unique about each culture and community. There has been a lot of media attention as of late on the issue ofRead more
“The Sulah program holds us all accountable to each other: that we have to consider our own upbringings, influences, decisions, and positions of power. We need to take responsibility to listen to each other, sometimes in ways we are not used to or that make us uncomfortable. However, these ways are necessary, can be doneRead more
$18,000 KW Community Foundation grant mobilizes CJI to support those looking to Home Share Community Justice Initiatives’ Elder Mediation Services program is expanding to include a Waterloo Region Home Share support program! This project responds to the needs of older adults in our community who want to continue to live in their homes and are willing to share theirRead more
June was Senior’s Month, so we wanted to shine a light on some of the amazing volunteers and participants we are privileged to work with in our Elder Mediation Services (EMS) Programs. This post was made possible by Bethany Chumbley, an EMS student who conducted the interviews. Meet Florence*, a group participant within Elder MediationRead more
While we are thankful that the Derek Chauvin verdict has diffused some tensions, celebrating this outcome presents a significant dilemma for advocates and practitioners of Restorative Justice. The criminal justice system employed to produce “justice,” with punishment as its primary value, is at odds with a restorative world view and cannot produce a true andRead more
If you missed Part 1 of “6 Ways to Respond to Conflict”, click here. As we established in our previous post, conflicts are bound to happen even in the best of circumstances. Conflicts in and of themselves are not bad; rather, it is how we handle them that determines whether they are helpful or hurtful.Read more
After almost a year of social isolation, physical distancing, and world-wide uncertainty, we are seeing higher levels of conflict. This is understandable, as partners, families, and roommates are spending increased time together while also trying to cope with the events going on around them. Even in the best of circumstances, conflicts are bound to arise.Read more
During our 40+ year history, we have continuously responded to community needs by creatively, and innovatively applying restorative justice principles to new problems. We believe the only limit to the power of restorative justice is the capacity of the human heart to change and grow.
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