Circles of Support

Circles of Support training is designed to equip community members to form a circle of support and accountability around men and women coming out of incarceration or treatment programs as they reintegrate into the community.

Circles of Support are based on restorative justice principles that have been used since 1984 in Canada, United Kingdom and the United Sates to reduce recidivism and relapse and create safe communities. Read more about Circles on our About Restorative Justice or About Circles of Support page.

We offer two training programs that include a manual and a training certificate.

Basic training is 4 sessions that total 17 hours of experiential learning. This is the minimum training necessary to volunteer with us.
Advanced training is 5 sessions that total 15 hours of experiential learning. This is ideal for those who want to become Circle Keepers or learn more about those we serve.

The training is FREE for Volunteers who commit to volunteering with us for one year (non-volunteers the cost is $300 for each program) Volunteer Now

Here’s what you can expect to learn from Basic Training:

Circles of Support Foundations Training

The Circles of Support session is the foundational class that will teach you the history, principles, and roles of circle process and how to use circle process to support people coming out of incarceration or treatment programs.

Challenges of Reentry & Recovery

The Challenges of Reentry will educate you on the many challenges of reentry into the community from incarceration and treatment programs through a discussion with community members who’ve successfully acclimated into the community. They’ll share what their needs were, what worked and didn’t worked and their continued challenges.

Perceptions and Understanding of Offending and Victimization

The Perceptions and Understanding session will address the facts and myths of offenders and victimization through a discussion with professionals and various individuals who’ve been impacted by crime.

Orientation

The Orientation session will inform you of our policies, procedures, boundaries, and expectations of our volunteers.

Here’s what you can expect to learn from Advanced training:

Circle Keeping

Circles are a way of being and a form of communication that creates individual growth and healing as well as develops community. The Circle Keeping session broadens and develops you to be a Circle of Support keeper.

Criminogenic and Addictive Thinking

The Criminogenic and Addictive Thinking session will provide you with insight into the thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs that lead to criminal or addictive behaviors and equip you with ways to support individuals as they learn other ways to think, problem solve and behave while becoming a trusted community member.

Cultural Diversity

The Cultural Diversity session will teach you about the various cultures that those in reentry and recover have come from and how to respect each others differences while embracing the similarities between us all as human beings.

Motivational Interviewing/Coaching Skills

The Motivational Interviewing and Coaching Skills session will equip you with the skills to facilitate and engage motivation within a person in order to change thoughts and behavior. The techniques allow the individual to produce their own change instead of it being imposed on them from others.

Mentoring Skills

Practical application of the action items that can be produced during the circle process are accomplished through a one-on-one or two-on-one process, otherwise known as mentoring. The Mentoring Skills session equips you to accomplish the action items outside of the circle process while maintaining proper boundaries and utilizing your talents.