Last week, from the 16th to the 18th of September, we had the opportunity to attend the South Island Restorative Justice Spring CPD Hui in Ōtepoti, held in collaboration with Restorative Justice Otago – Anglican Family Care.

The programme included a chance to reflect on the history of RJ in Ōtepoti, and lots of opportunities to connect with other practitioners. The senior members of the local facilitation team started the hui by explaining how the RJ process has developed over time, from the pilot in 2000 to the implementation of Section 24A of the Sentencing Act in 2014. A local police prosecutor spoke about digital harm and the new stalking legislation, and we were joined by colleagues who are now offering an RJ support service for practitioners. Duncan Forster from Simply Resolution gave us a taste of trauma informed practice and some facilitation skills to assist with de-escalation, and we heard about suicide first aid from the team at Life Matters. Even with a full and engaging programme, the tone of the gathering was informal and flexible, catering to the learning styles and comfort of all participants.

Despite the challenging subject matter, we all enjoyed the humour, collegiality and support that happens when RJ practitioners get together. As some of our participants were very new to RJ, having started just days or weeks prior to the hui, they were encouraged by hearing the experiences of those who had been working in the area for 25 years plus. The hui gave attendees an opportunity to discuss and reflect on some of the challenging areas of practice.

Ngā mihi to everyone who attended and to those who worked to make this event possible.