title: Seeds of change: using peacemaking circles to build a village for every child.
abstract: Roca, Inc., a grassroots human development and community organization, has adopted the peacemaking circle as a tool in its relationship building with youth, communities, and formal systems. Circles are a method of communication derived from aboriginal and native traditions. In Massachusetts, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Youth Services are exploring the application of the circle in programming with youth and families. By providing a consistent structure for open, democratic communication, peacemaking circles enhance the formation of positive relationships in families, communities, and systems. The outcome is a stronger community with greater unity across truly diverse participants. This article presents the theory and practice of peacemaking circles, the lessons and challenges of implementing circles in formal organizations, and the potential of the circle to support a strengths-based and community-based approach to child welfare.
authors.affiliation: Center for Restorative Justice, Suffolk University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boyes-Watson
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D011368:Professional-Family Relations