Strategy

Peacemaking Circles

Roca’s method of Peacemaking Circles teaches young people and families an alternative communication method that allows them to deal with extremely painful and difficult issues, how to manage their own healing process, and how to make agreements that promote safety so they can live in a healthy way. Circles are effective for identifying real issues and seeking appropriate solutions when there are conflict situations, when there is a need for healing or understanding, or a desire to reach consensus.

Roca was mentored by the Tagish Tlingit people in the Yukon Territories, and has adopted this practice of peacemaking circles. Derived from aboriginal and native traditions, circles bring people together in a way that creates trust, respect, intimacy, good will, belonging, generosity, mutuality and reciprocity. The process is never about —changing others—, but rather is an invitation to change oneself and one’s relationship with the community.

This approach involves participants sitting in a circle, preparing themselves to speak honestly and listen to each other respectfully, and taking turns speaking. Each person speaks only when holding an object (specifically an object that has meaning for the group; e.g., Roca often uses rocks (which is what Roca means in Spanish, a young mothers' group might use a baby’s toy, etc.) that is passed clockwise (in the direction of the sun's movement) from one participant to the next. We use circles in a variety of ways with and without young people, internally and externally, often partnering with other agencies, groups, and community members.

Values and Principles - Though each circle develops its own values and principles, all peacemaking circles generally:

• are designed by those who use them
• are guided by a shared vision
• call participants to act on their personal values
• include all interests, and are accessible to all
• offer everyone an equal, and voluntary, opportunity to participate
• take a holistic approach, including the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual
• maintain respect for all
• encourage exploring instead of conquering differences
• invite accountability to others and to the process