ABOUT
Relationships First
Newfoundland & Labrador
Who We Are
Relationships First Newfoundland and Labrador is a provincial restorative justice organization housed in Memorial University’s Faculty of Education. We aim to provide support, resources, research, and recommendations for the sustainability of the holistic integration of restorative justice in Newfoundland & Labrador and beyond.
We believe that restorative justice is a way of being and define it as the framework upon which communities nurture the capacity of people to engage with one another and their environment in a manner that supports and respects the inherent dignity and worth of all. We are led by the interconnection of four equally significant intentions:
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Embodying respect, dignity, and mutual concern
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Creating just and equitable environments
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Nurturing healthy relationships
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Repairing harm and transforming conflict
MISSION & HISTORY.
Values & Beliefs
All life is worthy and interconnected. Worth and interconnectedness are nurtured through the embodiment of respect, dignity, and mutual concern.
Mission
RFNL works to cultivate, nurture, and support relational culture where children, youth, and adults alike thrive.
Vision
RFNL envisions communities that live relationally by intentionally honouring the worth and interconnectedness of all.
History
In August 2012, 17 educators in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) embarked on a two-week long institute to explore the possibilities of Relationships First: Restorative Justice in Education. Beginning with an exploration of their own core beliefs and values, the educators dug deep to reflect on the many relationships that make up their school community and began their journey toward creating and sustaining healthy, inclusive relationships in schools.
Since then, many others involved in education in NL have discovered the benefits of restorative justice in schools. In 2014, the Relationships First: Restorative Justice in Education Consortium was formed and engaged a wide variety of education stakeholders within and outside of the traditional schooling systems.
Since that time we have grown into a multidisciplinary research and resource organization that is comprised of researchers and practitioners in holistic restorative justice. We share our insights and experiences on this site in hopes of learning together with others globally.
PARTNERS.
RFNL is an organization that has been supported throughout the years with generous funding from a variety of sources. Currently, we are working with our funders to create opportunities for members of a variety of communities to learn about and through restorative justice in project-specific contexts. Most recently, RFNL has received funding from the Kim Cole Memorial Fund, the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Departments of Justice and Education.
