Dear Community,
As you may be aware, Just Outcomes has been invited to provide our support and guidance to the Compassionate Reconciliation Project. We appreciate that this is a difficult and painful time for many people within your community, and we are humbled and honored to support you in taking these courageous steps forward.
During this difficult time, our goal is to support you in working together to strengthen and rebuild the fabric of relationships within this community. We hope that our accompaniment in this time may be in service of the strength and resilience already deeply present among you.
To those who have experienced recent or historical harm within this community, we honor your voices and hope that the work ahead may provide you with meaningful options and pathways toward recovery and healing.
To those experiencing the pain of disconnection and loss of trust with others in your community, we hope that this will be a process of discovering clarity, understanding and growth within relationships. We respect the journey of each person in making sense of this time. Each one of you holds an important place within this work and must be included in writing the next chapter in the life of this community.
Effective restorative justice and conflict transformation work relies on careful assessment and planning. As we move into the first phase of our work with your community, our team has two primary goals:
• To assist in the establishment of a Compassionate Reconciliation Commission (CRC) which will provide leadership to this effort over the coming 1-2 years
• To gain an in-depth understanding of the various perspectives, needs and opportunities present in the community which will guide our support and consultation to the CRC moving forward
At this time, we are reaching out to individuals within the various facets of the community and its organizations. Through our conversations and study, we are learning of the history and issues facing the community, the Dharmic and Yogic Teachings, and opportunities and options for the work ahead. We are immersed in the task of building our understanding and relationships so that we can provide the support needed at this time. We also understand the urgency for action, and are committed to moving forward with efficiency.
The success of this work depends on the meaningful participation of all facets of your community. To that end, we invite your suggestions on how the Compassionate Reconciliation Commission can work to engage with you on an ongoing basis. This feedback will be vital to the CRC during its establishment over the coming months. Please click here to fill out a 5 to 10-minute survey on this topic.
Yours in peace, compassion and gratitude,
Catherine Bargen, Aaron Lyons, and Matthew Hartman
Co-Founders and Principals, Just Outcomes