By Dr Kerry Clamp
To be updated
By Kek Seow Ling
This workshop explores how restorative principles—empathy, accountability, and ownership—offer a powerful pathway toward justice that not only addresses wrongdoing but seeks to repair and even strengthen relationships. At the heart of this process are the voices of survivors and victims, whose experiences, needs, and perspectives must shape how justice is understood and practiced. Participants will engage in reflection and dialogue on how centring these voices and applying restorative values can transform legal and social responses to harm.
By Leow Hui Ling
Justice in cases of sexual misconduct is deeply personal and means different things to each individual - a mosaic of needs, wants and wishes, especially for victim-survivors. In this workshop, participants will explore the framework of Kaleidoscopic Justice - a dynamic and survivor-centric understanding of justice that goes beyond the punitive university disciplinary system. Rather than a fixed outcome, kaleidoscopic justice centres an ever changing, multi-faceted and lived experience shaped by survivors, systems and the society. The session will examine how kaleidoscopic justice is incorporated into the frontline casework at NUS Care Unit (NCU) by leveraging restorative justice to effect systemic changes that prioritise healing over punishment and promote victim agency.
Being the first of its kind in local universities and the first dedicated office in the National University of Singapore, NCU provides a primary point of contact for all staff and students who are being or have been affected by sexual misconduct. The Unit, housed under the Office of the Provost, offers a private and safe environment for survivors of sexual misconduct to seek support and to be heard independent of their faculty, school, department or hostel.
NCU is overseen by an Advisory Board comprising of medical, social work and legal professionals and is staffed by Care Managers and Senior Care Managers in the Care Management arm and researchers and administrators in the Research and Programmes arm. The main role of the Care Management arm is to support the survivors in interfacing with all of the internal and external agencies and to keep them engaged and up to date on the proceedings during each stage of the process. The Care Manager will navigate the processes for the victim within NUS’ disciplinary and holistic support systems and Singapore’s criminal justice and social services systems and shall continue to provide pastoral care until the victim-survivor’s graduation.
Concluding with an understanding of the range of services provided by the Care Manager, the presentation aims to invites participants to consider how restorative justice can honour the complexity of kaleidoscopic justice as a constantly shifting and evolving pattern for victim-survivors and to envision how institutional practices can integrate restorative principles to emphasise restoration over retribution.By Muhammad Hashnul Nizam Bin Hassan and Chew Bi Ting
The Resolute Correctional Unit (RCU), established in 2022, is a specialised unit in Singapore Prison Service. It began as a space for inmates who had left gangs and has grown into a transformative regime that integrated a many-hands approach and restorative practice principles.
RCU's innovative framework encompasses strategic partnerships between various stakeholders which include Correctional Unit Officers (CUO), Correctional Rehabilitation Specialist (CRS), community organisations and inmate facilitators. This collaborative ecosystem delivers evidence-based interventions to facilitate and address various needs of the inmates. The in-house proactive circles called Gang Alternative Project (GAP) conducted by inmate facilitators with the support of CUO and CRS aims to strengthen participants’ resolve in desisting from gangs and leading a prosocial lifestyle. The Toki & Kintsugi Transformation programme by Awful Grace allows participants to engage in self-reflection to process their past trauma, while the Toastmasters programme equip participants with the skills to coherently express themselves and communicate with others better. Additionally, the Pro-Social Lifestyle programme by The New Charis Mission, with the support of CUO and CRS, addresses intergenerational recidivism through family reintegration strategies. Desistors are intentionally involved in different interventions for the purpose of sharpening interventions to cater to the responsivity needs of inmates. RCU’s purposeful partnerships with different stakeholders not only empower inmates but also the society in having a shared interest in the rehabilitation journey.
Another distinguishing feature of RCU's methodology is its emphasis on inmate-led community building initiatives. RCU inmates are given the opportunity in participating in the designing and implementation of community engagement activities, which foster a sense of ownership and camaraderie among the inmates. Besides GAP, Guitar classes, basic conversational Mandarin classes and Microsoft Office skills classes are some of the initiatives planned and conducted by inmates for their peers in RCU. These approaches are complemented with structured communal meals which serve as a cornerstone for community bonding and social reintegration. Inmates are empowered through their active participation in RCU’s regime, which promotes their sense of agency in rehabilitating through community building.
This workshop will explore RCU's transformative model, examining its potential implications for correctional policy and practice in fostering sustainable rehabilitation outcomes.
By Mohammad Farhan and Noor Azhar
EduPoint is a pioneering peer support programme piloted in Institution A1, a maximum-security facility within the Changi Prison Complex. EduPoint is a strategic alignment with the goals of maximum-security rehabilitation: maintaining order and discipline while instilling pro-social values and responsibility through inmate empowerment.
EduPoint is an innovative programme operating through three main components. The first component, Care Point, serves as an orientation programme for new admissions where inmate trainers educate newcomers about CU regulations, culture, and daily routines. Following each session, trainers generate comprehensive reports for CU staff, helping officers better understand inmate backgrounds. The second component, Care Buddy, consists of weekly one-hour sessions spanning three months for new admissions. This platform allows inmates to share their concerns and receive both emotional and practical support, such as assistance with letter drafting. Inmates with specific concerns can also request ad-hoc sessions. To maintain transparency and communication, trainers generate post-session reports to keep officers informed of inmates' progress and concerns. Care Group, the third component, takes the form of proactive circles where fixed small groups meet weekly to engage in pro-social conversations and provide mutual support. These sessions cover various topics relevant to rehabilitation and personal development.
The programme's peer-support model creates an approachable learning environment, particularly beneficial for inmates who might be hesitant to seek traditional forms of support. Through this comprehensive approach, EP effectively supports inmates' rehabilitation journey and prepares them for successful reintegration into society.
By David Moore and Alikki Vernon
To be updated.
By Deborah Wan, Kek Seow Ling, Lee Jungup
Relationships are at the heart of restorative practice. Recognising that individuals are “profoundly relational” (Pranis, 2007), strong therapeutic relationship facilitates change (Miller et. al., 1997), and “mutuality” in relationships promote growth (Jordan & Hartling, 2002), restorative practice is about strengthening one’s relational capacity. LCCS defines relational capacity as the ability to connect with self and others to build, nurture, and repair relationships through self-awareness, trust, and empathy.
In this workshop, LCCS will share its research on the development of Relational Capacity Scale - a new questionnaire designed to examine the relational practice of social service practitioners. This session will explore key constructs that contribute to relational capacity, including authenticity, humility, empowerment, and self-compassion. Participants will also be invited to discuss and reflect on how relational capacity contributes to being an effective and competent practitioner, using Dr. Weingarten (2003)’s witnessing positions framework.
As potentially the first study of its kind in Singapore, this research offers a valuable tool for clinical supervision and can support more intentional and reflective social service practice.
By Palvindran Jayram and Lydia Susiyanti Bte Sukarbi
This workshop delves into the Empowered Families Initiative (EFI), a transformative programme that embodies restorative principles to foster trust, autonomy, and accountability among families. By aligning with the Social Discipline Window framework, EFI emphasizes collaborative engagement—doing things *with* families rather than to or for them—thereby nurturing community cohesion and empowerment.
Participants will explore how EFI's strengths-based approach facilitates mindset shifts, enabling individuals to recognise their inherent value and capacity to fulfil their aspirations and contribute meaningfully to their communities. Through interactive activities, storytelling, and reflections, attendees will gain insights into the processes that encourage families to share vulnerabilities, build mutual trust, and embark on collective journeys toward social mobility and resilience.
The session will feature voices from EFI alumni, whose lived experiences underscore the programme's impact:
- “The programme brings communities together and helps strengthen our connection with one another not just as a participant but as family.” – Lydia
- “I see the program community as family working for a bigger purpose.” – Ilyani
These narratives highlight the transformative power of restorative practices in fostering resilient, self-sustaining communities.
In alignment with the conference theme, "Singapore – A Restorative Nation," this workshop underscores the pivotal role of family empowerment in national cohesion. As Ashley Judd aptly stated, “People are not problems to be solved—they are the solution.” EFI embodies this ethos by recognising that families possess the wisdom, strength, and creativity needed to navigate their own challenges. Rather than starting with the premise of families' hardships, EFI creates a space where individuals are supported to take the lead in shaping solutions. This relational approach affirms that when communities are trusted as partners, not problems, they become the most powerful drivers of sustainable change.
By Joann Chen and Nurazura Mohamed Jani
This comprehensive workshop delves into the practical implementation of restorative practices within women's correctional facilities, examining how these approaches can be meaningfully adapted to create transformative experiences for women offenders. The session explores the intersection of gender-responsive programming and restorative justice principles, emphasising how these frameworks collectively support healing, accountability, and successful rehabilitation.
Central to the workshop is understanding how trauma-informed care shapes restorative practices for women in prison. Many women offenders enter the system carrying complex trauma histories, including domestic violence, sexual abuse, and intergenerational trauma. The workshop demonstrates how creating emotionally safe spaces and nurturing healthy relationships becomes fundamental to their recovery journey.
Participants will explore various restorative methodologies, including circles, victim-offender dialogue programmes, and officer-led mediation initiatives. These practices are specifically tailored to address gender-specific challenges such as separation from children, disrupted caregiving roles, mental health concerns, and histories of victimisation. The workshop examines how these adaptations help women process shame, build self-worth, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Through engaging case studies and interactive exercises, participants will learn how restorative practices foster accountability while honouring women's experiences and voices. The session highlights successful programmes where these approaches have reduced conflicts, strengthened community bonds, and empowered women to take responsibility for past actions whilst working towards positive change.
The workshop concludes by examining how these practices support successful reintegration, helping women rebuild family relationships, develop conflict resolution skills, and create sustainable support networks for their return to society.
Breakout Sessions
Day 2
Session 1 (Day 1)
Ever wondered how other countries handle mediation in criminal cases and successful they are? What are the secrets? Do they even mediate severe criminal cases? How could that be applied to the Singaporean way of working and approach when it comes to restorative practice? Pascal Comvalius will guide and share with you his view and thoughts. Firstly, he will give you an outline what the mediation framework of criminal cases being used is. Secondly Pascal will share captivating stories with you of mediation in criminal matters with an interesting plot twist. Thirdly will share with you what his lessons learned are, the way he deals with high conflict situations and personalities. Tips in how to improve your resilience when your dealing heartbreaking criminal matters or approaches on how to take different cultures account will be discussed as well. And finally, Pascal will give you his view on how the practice abroad can work within the restorative practice in Singapore.
Mediation in Criminal Cases Abroad and how this restorative practice approach can be helpful for Singapore
1
Kligman’s (2024) Heart Strong Work: Improving Workplace Culture champions the role of vulnerability in leading workplaces guided by principles of restorative practices and relational leadership. This workshop is a response to this call for intrapersonal leader growth as a component of organizational culture change consistent with restorative practices. Workshop participants will, after some brief grounding in key concepts, engage in cooperative inquiry centered on these questions: How might a transformative, arts-based leadership development program support individual growth in displaying vulnerability and embracing other authentic relationship-building qualities in the workplace? What models are available and what is their usefulness? Participants will seek answers through hands-on exploration that includes engaging with works of visual art in relation to the theme of leader vulnerability. The arts-based activities will employ a model that synthesizes elements drawn from scholarly literature on arts-based leadership development, aesthetics, adult transformative learning theory, perspective transformation through art, restorative practices, and restorative justice. Participants will have opportunities for shared reflection on the potential value of the transformative arts-based leadership development model and how it could be applied in their own professional contexts.
Using Arts-Based Methods to Develop Restorative Leaders
2
Milestone Prison Visit is a new initiative by Life Community Services Society, to collaborate with The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) to support children and youth to either restore or remain connected with their parent/s in prison to foster parent and child connection and emotional healing. Research has shown that the child is often the one locked in a second prison where there is sense of shame and guilt over the parental incarceration. When left unsupported, the child will develop low self-esteem, loss in desire to study or do well in school and potentially become anti-social.
Life Community facilitates guided conversations during prison visits to strengthen parent-child bonds. Pre- and post-visit support helps families process the experience and move towards reconciliation and restoration in relationships. The Milestone Prison Visit fosters reintegration and reduces the likelihood of intergenerational offending by bridging the gap between incarcerated parents and their children.
Breaking Barriers: Rebuilding Parent-Child Connections for Children Impacted by Parental Incarceration
3
Share information on a previous project here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background of the work. Add details about why this project was created and what makes it significant.