Accountability Circle Volunteer

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* This opportunity meets at the Family Service Center in Moorhead, MN *

How does the Restorative Justice Program work? Essentially, when someone under 18 years of age is cited or charged, the Attorney’s Office, School Resource Officers, Moorhead PD, and Probation Officers have the option to refer those cases to the RJ program, so that the youth being cited/charged can complete the Restorative Justice program in lieu of or in addition to going through court. My job is to meet all parties affected separately, so that I can prep them for a face-to-face meeting, in which they will discuss the incident, how it’s affected them & come to an agreement of how things can be made right. This is called an Accountability Conference (see attached brochure).

Sometimes, when the victim/witness do not want to participate, or if there isn’t a direct victim, I will have 3-4 community members volunteer to be part of an Accountability Circle, where the youth cited will get to discuss what happened with everyone in the circle, and the volunteers will ask questions to help the youth think about their action & come up with what they need to do to set things right and/or prevent future occurrences.

What can you do to contribute to this program? I am in the process of recruiting volunteers who are empathic, curious, and able to come up with creative solutions, and who are looking for an opportunity to acquire or further challenge/grow their skillsets for listening and caring. If you’re interested, I would love to receive a completed Volunteer Application from you!

What kind of time commitment does this involve? Upon receiving your application, I would meet with you for about an hour for an interview, at a time that’s convenient for you.

• You will get to sit in as an observer for a couple of sessions to become familiar with the process.
• Once I am ready to schedule an Accountability Circle that fits your interests and time availabilities, you will receive an email from me. You are free to decline if you are unable to commit to that one.
• Attend at least one annual 2-day training (tentatively in August/September and December/January).
• Attend a montly meeting
• Accept at least one invitation per month.

If you have any questions about volunteering please feel free to contact our office at 218-299-5213.