Bringing restorative practices and healing to youth impacted by trauma.
Anders is a current IIRP student pursuing his Master of Science in Restorative Practices with a specialization in Education and his graduate certificate in Relational Facilitation for Healing Trauma. He serves as an educational specialist for a camp-based program at a Juvenile Rehabilitation Center. This restorative-based program was built to provide the tools needed for youth to successfully reintegrate into society and participate as leaders in their communities.
Anders is using his education in restorative practices in support of his passion for providing trauma-informed education to youth involved in the justice system.
Q: What brought you to the IIRP?
A: As a juvenile court educator, I have searched for ways to better support and advocate for my students. The IIRP looked like the perfect fit for delving into what true support and accountability look like for justice-impacted youth. So far, it has far surpassed my expectations!
Q: Please tell us about your professional work now and what makes you passionate about it.
A: I am deeply passionate about introducing restorative principles and practices to youth who have been impacted by high trauma. Currently, through the learning and support of the IIRP coursework, I have integrated restorative practices into systems and processes throughout the facility I work in. Actions such as restorative classroom reentry plans, leading a two-part training on trauma-informed tools and mindsets facility-wide, proactive circles that include key stakeholders such as probation and programmers, and leading compassionate witnessing sessions with staff and youth (shoutout to Dr. Frida Rundell) are all ways I have integrated the coursework into my workplace.
Q: What would you like to see in this restorative work in the future?
A: Looking forward, I am building out a restorative justice curriculum to support youth accountability and family healing processes. Overall, my experience with the IIRP has been more than just professionally transformational; it has helped me become restorative in all aspects of life. This I am deeply grateful for!
