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The RJ Facilitator Network is made up of UCSF community members who learn the origins and principles of restorative justice and are trained to facilitate Community-Building Circles. With over 100+ trained Community-Building Circle facilitators across the university and UCSF Health, facilitators lead Circles with learners, faculty, and staff to strengthen relationships, foster collaboration, and celebrate shared values. Circles are integrated into staff retreats, team huddles, committee meetings, student orientations, and classroom discussions.
Explore the facilitators' stories and see how they are weaving a restorative mindset into their work through Community-Building Circles. Our Facilitator Network continues to grow, and we are excited to share a few of their inspiring stories with you. Dive in to learn more about their unique restorative justice journey and the approaches they bring to their practice.
Share a highlight about your experience participating in the restorative practice training.
The training process was one of the most impactful experiences I've had at UCSF. The idea of adapting a restorative mindset and addressing harm as a community instead of reflexive and isolated punishment just made sense. The training was intense and engaging. There were so many highlights of the facilitation training experience. When I looked around at the group of people present, I was struck by the diversity represented in the room. This included the fact that Honeycomb Justice facilitators expertly led the sessions; Honeycomb Justice is a Black and Queer owned business dedicated to anti-oppressive transformation.
How have you seen your mindset shift after learning about restorative justice principles?
I now reflexively think of RJ as an approach to build community as well as the way to address and repair harm. There are so many ways to integrate RJ into the culture of my work community, I'm so excited to implement them in a meaningful and sustained way.
How have you applied restorative principles in your work environment?
I've led several community circles to demonstrate circle practices to trainees and faculty in my department. I've also presented the idea of restorative justice in small groups. Most participants have never heard of restorative justice and were experiencing community practices for the first time. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and people are eager for more.
Share a highlight about your experience participating in the restorative practice training.
The highlight of my experience was being in community with folks who want to make a difference at UCSF. I met so many people from different facets of the university that I wouldn't have met otherwise, and I also made some great connections.
How have you seen your mindset shift after learning about restorative justice principles?
Being trained in RJP has helped me see the humanity in others, especially during difficult situations. It has also given me the skills to be a better meeting facilitator, using different techniques to ensure all community members feel seen, heard, and valued.
How have you applied restorative principles in your work environment?
After additional training and facilitation opportunities through the UCSF RJP office, I have gained more confidence in my practice to lead circles on my own. In my previous role at UCSF Real Estate, I held lower-risk community-building circles via Zoom. Now that I work for UCSF Police, I'm looking for additional ways to incorporate RJP into our work. Several of my Police Department colleagues were recently trained. I will partner with them to hold space for Police Officers, Security Guards, and other Police Department Staff through recognition circles to build relationships between team members and acknowledge each other's contributions and value to this organization.
Share a highlight about your experience participating in the restorative practice training.
Mind blown. The entire process was not at all what I expected. I have to say the highlight for me was feeling so close to my group members after a short period of time and learning skills to help in many aspects of my job I had no training for. Everyone who wants to, should have a chance to take the course. After the session I felt closer with the others than ever before. We had work together before and now had a better connection than before.
How have you seen your mindset shift after learning about restorative justice principles?
I stayed the night at friends the night of the first day. My mind as I lay in bed was racing. Endless places I feel this could be used to help others and groups I associate with. It actually led me personally to decide this year to focus on my mental health. Dedicate this year to making the effort focused there and from then until now, I feel like I have a changed mindset on so many things and open for change more than ever before.
How have you applied restorative principles in your work environment?
First thing I did when I got home was to lead a circle with my family. My 3, 5 year old wife and wife. I since have ran many in a slightly more informal setting. The openness of my kids has changed since. We call them family meetings now. And my oldest often asks for them for no real reason, I think, but to connect.
In my environment, I began to incorporate icebreakers into my weekly team huddles and a way to connect on a semi-non-work level before diving into business.
I first learned about Restorative Justice (RJ) from my children when they started middle school. Their school and school district (Oakland Unified School District) were using RJ to create a culture that was inclusive and created connected communities and handled harms that occurred as a way to restore those community connections. When I learned that UCSF had an RJ program, I eagerly wanted to learn more so was fortunate to enroll in the RJ Facilitator trainings. I was inspired by the power of RJ to bring connection and meaning to teams in which we work and to be a method to enhance the work that we do.
One of the responsibilities of being the President of the Medical Staff is to address harms and often to identify consequences for those harms. This is an important role, but I noted the absence in supporting ways to create community and allow the clinical units to develop connection and be able to address harms in a way that creates connection and repair within those units. As President of the Medical Staff, I would like to partner with UCSF Office of Restorative Justice Practices, UCSF Health Executive Leadership, UCSF School of Medicine Departmental Leadership, and local Clinical Unit leaders to bring a restorative justice practice and culture to our clinical communities to create connections that improve patient care and opportunities to repair harm when it occurs.
At UCSF School of Dentistry (UCSF SOD), we recognize the importance of employee engagement by building community, and creating a supportive environment of mutual respect, trust, transparency and continuous learning and growth. Over the past year and a half, we have worked towards achieving that goal. One of the tools we have embraced to build a strong foundation to support an engaged workforce is by promoting a restorative mindset into the school culture. Led by the efforts of Maria Rina Simon, UCSF SOD Director of Administration, we introduced restorative justice principles to staff and managers to equip them with the skills to sustain an inclusive community and foster mutual trust.
Emphasizing the importance of building and maintaining healthy relationships, trust and accountability within our teams has positively impacted employees experience, satisfaction, and ultimately engagement. Our 2024 Staff Engagement Survey score increased 0.21 from prior year. We have observed a significant increase in the Belonging Index, 0.27 higher from previous survey, with all areas (recognition, cares about me, opinions count, learn and grow) experiencing a positive increase between 0.23-0.36. Restorative practices have contributed to increased employee engagement in creating a supportive work environment where employees feel that their opinions count, and in building trusting and transparent relationships where employees feel supported by their managers and colleagues in their personal and professional growth. There are always opportunities to grow and we will continue to work towards continuous engagement as an institution.
Since 2020, the Graduate Division Dean’s Office in partnership with the Office of Restorative Justice Practices, has hosted community circles for incoming first-year PhD students to establish the importance of creating a community of care during their graduate program’s orientation. It has been truly inspirational to watch the expansion and integration of restorative justice practices across the Graduate Division – from PhD program cohorts – courses – to individual labs and research groups. The tools and lessons learned from the community circles enrich our environment where our graduate students, faculty, and administrators strengthen relationships and authentic communication. The Graduate Division Dean’s Office is currently preparing to host community circles for the 2024 PhD program cohorts.
Previous Trainings & Support Sessions
We believe in ongoing learning. Here’s a look at the training and support sessions we've offered to strengthen and grow our facilitator network.
Community Agreements
Community Agreements are a pillar for a Circle’s container. This workshop covered methods and tools for developing Community Agreements. Facilitators learned how to apply the HEART framework to create or strengthen Community Agreements and got a chance to practice with other facilitators.
Writing Prompts Questions
Storytelling is the core communication method that drives connection and reflection in a Circle. This workshop covered methods and tools for developing prompt questions that evoke storytelling. Participants learned how to design a Circle that flows using the 4 Cs (learned and adapted from Honeycomb Justice) and write thoughtful Circle prompts.
Community of Practice
The community of practice was a dedicated space for trained and practicing restorative justice facilitators to come together, share their experiences, and grow. Whether they were navigating challenges, celebrating successes, planning for an upcoming circle, or seeking inspiration, this community offered a supportive environment for learning and collaboration.
8 Pillars of Kū
The “8 Pillars of Kū” was facilitated by Kapokuuipoonalani Schatzi Cope and Kailene Nihipali Sanchez from Epic 'Ohana. This professional development framework is grounded in Hawaiian knowledge. During the workshop, participants engaged with the “8 Pillars of Kū” through a series of self-reflective assessment tools to identify their strengths and challenges, deepening their practice as Circle Facilitators. Throughout the session, participants were exposed to Hawaiian words, values, and worldviews.
