Restorative Works

• Second Chances: Restorative Justice for Youth in Colombia

  Building Sociedades Más Justas: Youth Justice in Colombia Claire de Mézerville López and cohost IIRP Lecturer A. Miguel Tello welcome Lina Hernández Nassif to the Restorative Works! Podcast.  Lina brings a wealth of experience from her work implementing restorative justice programs, particularly with youth in Colombia. Her journey spans from coordinating conflict resolution programs in prisons to facilitating initiatives for vulnerable teenagers across diverse socio-cultural contexts. In this compelling conversation, Lina shares pivotal outcomes from her programs, emphasizing the crucial role of victims in the restorative justice process. By placing survivors at the heart of justice initiatives, Lina and her team create safe spaces where individuals can process trauma, find closure, and embark on paths to reconciliation. She highlights success stories of teenagers who, after engaging in restorative justice, have overcome adversity to pursue education, employment, and stable lives. Lina dispels myths about restorative justice, stressing its practical application beyond theory. She advocates for professionals to engage directly with communities, fostering understanding and support for youth facing complex challenges. Her insights challenge conventional punitive measures, advocating instead for collaborative efforts among institutions to maximize impact and promote societal healing. Lina has a wide range of experience implementing restorative justice processes. She coordinated programs focused on conflict resolution inside and outside prisons with adults. In recent years, her work has focused on caring for youth within the criminal responsibility system, specifically for teenagers from different socio-cultural contexts such as migrants, natives, LGBTIQ+ community, and more. In 2022, Lina had the opportunity to work for the World Food Program through the Corporation for Community Social Development in the registration of more than 60,000 Venezuelans in vulnerable conditions so they could have access to government benefits in the Antioquia territory. Recently, she has been in charge of the coordination of the judicial monetary program for drug treatment, which was developed in an agreement between the government of Antioquia and the prison fellowship of Colombia to develop restorative justice processes for teens who have committed crimes due to drug use and addiction. Tune in to learn more about Lina’s work and the expansiveness of the impact restorative justice can have on youth and their communities.

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• Restorative Happens Now: Natalie Walters on Connection in Schools

  Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Natalie Walters to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Natalie joins us to share her inspiring journey and innovative approaches to restorative practices integration in school settings. This includes the creation of Practice Academy—an initiative revolutionizing in-school suspensions by keeping students within the educational community, guiding them through reflection, learning, and reintegration. She discusses the pivotal role of emotional intelligence and proactive relationship-building through initiatives like Building Rocks, a program fostering classroom connections from day one. Through heartfelt anecdotes and practical insights, Natalie illuminates the impact of restorative practices on students, educators, and families alike. Discover how she navigates complex relationships with families, ensuring every interaction is rooted in understanding and support. Natalie has served as a Restorative Practices Specialist at Roxborough Road Elementary within the North Syracuse Central School District where she focused on supporting students' social emotional development, teacher well-being, and guiding the integration of restorative practices for the district. In this role, she collaborated with educators and staff to implement restorative practices towards greater community building, reflective conflict resolution, and heightened family engagement. A notable aspect of her approach included the involvement of her beloved dog, Sydney, who visited the school to assist in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for students and introduced the district to therapy dog partnership. Natalie also created and collaborated with staff on an actionable approach to the inclusion of restorative circles within the school day entitled Building Rocks. This workbook focuses on the concepts of relationship building in a classroom, focusing on the first 10 days of circle processes for teachers to engage. Building Rocks is a guiding companion for teachers to utilize throughout the school year with supportive lessons and community engagement activities. Through her work, Natalie has built strong meaningful relationships among students, staff, parents, and community leaders, striving to align the district's mission to create a supportive educational environment.  Tune in to delve into Natalie's vision for supportive education and her ongoing mission to cultivate compassionate communities within educational settings.

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• Two Plus Two Is Twenty-Two: Real Stories from Long Island Schools

  Claire de Mézerville López welcomes IIRP alumnus, Gregg Scheiner, to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Gregg joins us and shares how his inclusive approach to mediation and conflict resolution empowers students and community members alike. He shares impactful stories, such as his work with a Nassau County high school where students and staff engaged in peer mediation sessions, leading to lasting resolutions and strengthened community bonds. He introduces us to the innovative Truancy Continuum of Care project, which utilizes restorative principles to reintegrate students into classrooms with supportive, non-punitive strategies. His initiatives have significantly reduced truancy rates and fostered a sense of belonging among students. Gregg is the director of restorative practices at the Long Island Dispute Resolution Center of the EAC Network (LIDRC). Gregg has been an integral part of this Resolution Center team for over a decade. He previously served as trainer and outreach coordinator, making significant contributions to advancing restorative practices across Long Island. As a circles and restrictive practices trainer, he has developed impactful programs in conflict resolution, peer mediation, and diversity training. His work has strengthened partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and government agencies, expanding LIDRC's reach and impact. Gregg holds a Master of Science in Restorative Practices from the IIRP, Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Adelphi University, as well as a leadership certificate, and a Bachelor of Arts from Hofstra University in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Sociology.  Tune in to hear more as Gregg discusses the future of restorative practices beyond educational settings, envisioning a society where these principles guide all interactions, fostering social-emotional intelligence and balanced relationships.

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• Lessons from Canada’s Indigenous Communities with Margaret Clark

  Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Margaret Clark to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Margaret shares her inspiring journey of integrating Indigenous wisdom into restorative practices, highlighting how these approaches foster healing, accountability, and community connection. Drawing on her Canadian roots and extensive experience, she explains why centering Indigenous voices and values strengthens restorative justice efforts across diverse settings. Margaret emphasizes that restorative practices are not just conflict resolution tools—they’re pathways to building trust, repairing harm, and nurturing resilient relationships. Her insights illuminate the powerful role of storytelling, circle processes, and cultural humility in creating spaces where everyone feels heard and respected. Margaret is the manager of the Canadian Mental Health Association Vernon & District Restorative Justice Services. Her interest in restorative justice came about through her background of working in correctional centers as a life skills coach and treatment programs as a program coordinator/counselor. As a proud member of the Syilx Nation, Margaret is committed to sharing Indigenous knowledge in the North Okanagan. She is a respected voice on local committees and was recently honored with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her leadership and service.  With strong ties to the North Okanagan, Margaret carries a vision of learning and teaching about restorative justice principles and practices. Tune in to discover practical strategies and inspiring stories that demonstrate the difference restorative practices can make in healing individuals and communities.

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• The Restorative Compass: Rethinking Conflict Through Stories

  Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Natasha Akery to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Natasha joins us and introduces her original framework, the “Restorative Compass,” a forward-looking alternative to the Compass of Shame. Designed to help students and educators navigate difficult emotions and conversations, the Restorative Compass guides users from reactivity toward engagement, self-compassion, and acknowledgment of others. In the classroom, she repurposes restorative questions to examine literary conflict, inviting students to explore who is impacted, how relationships shift, and how characters might repair harm. The result? Deeper learning, more critical thought, and powerful public speaking skills. From circle time with 9th graders to one-on-one conversations with overwhelmed educators, Natasha models what it means to be restorative in every interaction. She shares practical insights, real classroom stories, and how building a culture of safety and curiosity helps students thrive. Natasha is a high school English language arts teacher and professional developer who brings a restorative lens to literary analysis, classroom culture, and continuing education for teachers. Passionate about ancient literature, mythology, and folklore, she explores how stories can help build empathy and community. Natasha is also conducting graduate research on the impact of restorative literary analysis in secondary education, and her “Restorative Compass” framework has been a resource for faculty members of the IIRP and teachers across the country. She believes that when students feel seen and heard, powerful learning can happen. Tune in to hear more from Natasha and her passion for mythology, folklore, and ancient texts. She uses restorative practices to help students connect emotionally and intellectually with stories, fostering empathy, deep analysis, and meaningful relationships.

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