Community Justice Connect
Catherine Kelly, Lead Facilitator
Background
Community Justice Connect (CJC) provides a variety of conflict resolution services to Indigenous, racialized, and religious minority communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The free, confidential, and voluntary services provided are grounded in restorative justice principles and practices and primarily address concerns, conflicts, and racism whether they be direct, indirect or systemic. Facilitators specialize in listening to what’s happening, and then providing guidance for the individual(s) involved to identify ways forward that are in the best interest of all.
For more information visit https://thinkhumanrights.ca/community-justice-connect/
Definition of Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice is a way of approaching a difficult situation. Our model for Community Justice Connect is built on integrating the ways of being restorative and anti-racist. We focus on the needs of the people involved by asking a series of questions that help you understand what is happening. CJC uses an anti-racist and anti-colonial approach to restorative justice questions and processes.
Demographic Served
Community Justice Connect is open to residents of NL, regardless of immigration status, who identify as Indigenous, racialized or a religious minority, and are experiencing conflict.
Services
Using restorative justice principles and practices, CJC provides a variety of accessible, value-based, and creative services to Indigenous, racialized, and religious minority communities in NL when they face conflict that is connected to experiences of discrimination, prejudice, and/or racism. This includes but is not limited to supporting individuals and groups with:
Conflict coaching allowing that allows people to work through conflict independently
Addressing disputes between neighbours or landlords
Addressing issues with employers
Dealing with experiences of discrimination and/or harassment because of your Indigeneity, race or religion
Understanding basic government forms or documents
Understanding basic legal information
Support for navigating through the courts or other legal processes. Legal advice is provided by referral to Public Legal Information Association of NL (PLIAN) or other legal services
CJC works with people in conflict helping them to have difficult conversations in a manner that encourages respectful relations. If the other parties do not want to participate, CJC supports those seeking help to address their immediate needs for what is happening. The process begins with a conversation with the Lead Facilitator who listens to the immediate concern, then explains the CJC process and discusses options.
Information provided
July 11, 2023