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Restorative Practices International
A World-Wide Association for Restorative Practitioners
RPI is an independent professional member organisation designed to support practitioners working in diverse areas of Restorative Justice and related fields. Formed by practitioners for practitioners, we are adamant that we have a lot to learn from one another and that our work will be stronger for our ability to:
* develop and maintain best practice
* learn from diverse areas of practice
* enhance networking within the field
* share developments, and
* work together.
Whilst established in Australia by Australian based practitioners, the original RPI steering committee had world-wide support for this initiative. The current board has multi-national representation from diverse fields of restorative justice. We continue to diversify board membership and currently have representation from Australia, USA and New Zealand.
Our History
Initially established as the Australasian Restorative Justice Association (ARJA) in 1997, RPI was the fruition of a long-held dream of Peta Blood , a current director, to establish support mechanisms for practitioners working in the then relatively isolated fields of the Restorative Justice. These ideas continued to simmer as Peta started raising the idea of such support at international conferences with groups of interested practitioners. In 2004, Margaret Thorsborne, another Australian practitioner, joined with Peta to keep the idea alive. After speaking to many hundreds of people, it soon became apparent that there was a need at an international level to support practitioners from diverse areas of practice.
In March 2007, Peta and Marg brought together 20 practitioners from around Australia in Sydney to propose the development of an International organisation. From this group, a steering committee was formed to move the organisation forward.
To Marg and Peta's delight, the steering committee and a hard working conference committee (including Angie Parker, Carolyn Waters, Robyn Hutchinson and Debbie Laycock), turned out the inaugural RPI conference in Queensland Australia, 7 months later, in October 2007. It was a huge success and something of a landmark for the organisation. Our next effort, an international conference in Vancouver, co-partnered with Simon Fraser University cemented this new tradition of excellence!
Our longer terms plans include:
• Biennial international conference hosted alternatively in the northern and southern hemispheres (our next is in New Zealand in 2011)
• Support for local associations and organisations in order to enhance their support for local practitioners
• Blogs for robust, respectful dialogue about current practice issues
• A quarterly newsletter for members
• A professionally edited journal
• An advocacy and lobbying role in state and national policy development
To do this, we need your support, both financially in the form of membership fees and your willingness to involve yourself in the activities and development of RPI. We would love to hear from you, wherever you are, if you are willing to do this, and the particular interest or contribution you may have that can assist us grow RPI into a significant organisation. Check out about becoming a member!
RPI Board
The Inaugural RPI Board took office on 23 February 2009 when RPI was officially constituted as a not-for profit company limited by guarantee. The board has approved a staggered approach to replacing board members in the hope of bringing in new faces and fresh ideas whilst not losing organisational knowledge.
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