Working with At Risk Youth in Restorative Justice

We get to work with our Restorative Justice kids tomorrow. It's always good to see them coming. They are a  really big help when it comes to getting things done. Like always, there's a lot to do.

The kids are going to get to help us create an educational and awareness display about Hope for Healing.Org. A stack of brochures have to be folded and we're going to get some purple ribbon cards created.

Since Valentine's Day is coming up we have something special for the kids. The four girls who are scheduled will each get a small box of candy that you see in the photo. It's a small thing to do to let the girls know we care.

It's interesting to see what happens when the kids create displays. This gives us the opportunity to explain about the cycle. As they learn about domestic violence the light bulbs come on. You can see it on their faces. Unfortunately, this isn't always the happiest moment.

All too often the kids are familiar with domestic violence on a personal level. It is a rare exception when the kids haven't experienced domestic violence. Another troubling thing is that just about all the kids have friends who are already involved in dangerous relationships.

What we're seeing echoes information on the Love Is Respect Foundation website. This is the site for the National Teen Dating Violence helpline. There is also a live chat feature where kids can get help. Both kids and parents may want to check out the website.