Restorative Practices — Junior Cycle Learning Units: Friendship Champions

These are two short courses (10 hours each) that teachers can use with students in 1st and 2nd years to train them to use restorative practices, values and skills for strengthening relationships and resolving conflict.  The Courses are called “Friendship Champions” and “Friendship Masters” and can be delivered as part of a school’s wellbeing curriculum.  They are designed to significantly improve four of the eight Junior Cycle Key Skills – Managing Myself, Working With Others, Staying Well, and Communicating—and all of these learning outcomes were met during the pilot phase of these courses. The Teacher Handbooks contain detailed instructions for delivering the courses and the accompanying Student Journals will support learners to put restorative skills into action in their class, school, home, and community.

What are Restorative Practices?

Restorative Practices (RP) are an evidence-based set of skills that help develop and sustain strong and happy organisations and communities by actively developing good relationships, preventing the escalation of conflict, and handling conflict and wrongdoing in a creative and healthy manner. Restorative practices are preventative and are a method of conflict resolution. Restorative Practices transform the way people engage with one another. Organisations and individuals we have worked with have used Restorative Practices (RP) training and consultancy to develop conflict management skills and conflict management strategies in the workplace, effectively dealing with conflict at work.

Restorative Practices Junior Cycle Learning Unit Year One (Teacher Handbook)

Restorative Practices Junior Cycle Learning Unit Year One (Student Journal)

Restorative Practices Junior Cycle Learning Unit Year Two (Teacher Handbook)

Restorative Practices Junior Cycle Learning Unit Year Two (Student Journal)

Other useful resources