CONGRATS TO OUR NEWEST COHORT OF VOLUNTEER MEDIATORS!

This past June, CYS facilitated a virtual two-day, six-hour Victim Offender Restitution Services (VORS) training for 12 recent CMI graduates. This six-hour Pathway to VORS training is in addition to 30-hour of CMI training that the graduates previously completed. This training prepares volunteer mediators to facilitate restorative justice sessions between youth who have committed certain offenses and the people harmed by those offenses. The training emphasizes accountability, healing, and conflict resolution as alternatives to traditional responses.

The training focuses on developing mediators to be able to: facilitate mediation sessions; apply restorative justice principles; help youth understand the impact of their actions and accept responsibility; support harmed parties in expressing how they were affected and identifying appropriate restitution; and guide both parties toward mutually agreed-upon restitution plans. 

This training is part of the larger work CYS is doing in the community to empower dialogue, repair, and connection. If you would like to get involved in this amazing work, visit our site to volunteer, donate, or apply to join the team.