Community circles have a variety of purposes. They can be used proactively to develop relationships and build community, or reactively to respond to conflict, misconduct, and violations of community standards.
Circle discussions foster trust-building and inclusion. Utilized reactively, a community circle often allows for communal responses that create opportunities for those harmed and those responsible for causing harm to be part of the process of defining accountability and restoring trust and community dialogue.
What Does a Community Circle Look Like?
Restorative justice practitioners at Grinnell College often facilitate conversations using a circle process. They use a talking piece to ensure that everyone in the circle is treated with honor and respect. Silence, deep listening, and the need to “speak one’s truth” are honored. Following the exploration of shared values and understandings, participants move towards conflict resolution and healthy organizational growth.
Whatever the need or reason for coming together in a circle, Grinnell College’s restorative practitioners progressively adapt rounds of questions, starting with relatively "safe" terrain to establish trust and then moving toward responses that involve more trust and vulnerability.
April Community Circle Dialogue Month
Registration is now open for community circle dialogues! The month of April has been designated as Circle Month at Grinnell. We are offering over 17 dialogue topics to choose from. Circle facilitators have completed the requisite 6-week restorative practices dialogue training, and have worked with Fred Van Liew, restorative practice coordinator, to design an engaging circle dialogue experience.
90-minute virtual or in-person circle experience options are available.
Sign up today; enrollment space is limited for each circle, and spots tend to fill up fast!