Introduction to Restorative Circles is a two‑day, half‑day experiential training designed for new facilitators who are ready to begin holding restorative Circles with youth or adults. We meet 9am-1pm on Friday, September 18 and 9am-1pm Saturday, September 19 at our headquarters at 5008 Fuqua St. Light breakfast will be included, and lunch will be provided at 12:30pm each day. The training requires a minimum of 10 participants and caps at 20 to protect Circle quality, ensure meaningful facilitation practice, and maintain emotional safety. Participants engage in a deep dive into Tier 1 Circle Foundations through modeling, facilitation, and hands‑on practice, along with an overview of Tier 2 Circles focused on healing.

The experience incorporates role plays and written reflection to build facilitation confidence. This training is an overview, not a certification, and participants will leave able to explain the Circle process and independently plan a mini Tier 1 Circle. Full refunds are available up to 14 days before Day 1, 50% refunds are available up to one week before Day 1, and no refunds are offered within 72 hours, though participants may transfer their spot to someone else.

We offer Houston’s only cohort‑based restorative justice apprenticeship, a training that equips adults (18+) to facilitate circles that directly engage questions of power, identity, and equity. Throughout the seven‑session, 22‑hour apprenticeship, participants practice somatic self‑regulation techniques to stay grounded while navigating conflict. After completing the cohort, graduates receive ongoing coaching as they begin facilitating community‑building circles in their workplaces, homes, and neighborhoods—building a growing network of skilled community peacemakers. SPRING 2027 APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN UP BY NOVEMBER 1, 2026.

The Peace & STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Summer Fellowship is a weeklong, 20‑hour leadership development and conflict‑resolution program for Houston youth who will be entering grades 7–10 in the fall. This selective fellowship blends restorative Circles with hands‑on STEAM exploration, giving young people a space to build community, practice problem‑solving, and grow as leaders.

Fellows learn how to build community through Circles, repair conflict, communicate effectively, and advocate for themselves and their communities. Each session opens and closes in Circle—with a centerpiece, a talking piece, and shared norms—and includes a STEAM challenge in the middle. Youth work within a design constraint, a material limit, or a team negotiation task. The engineering problem becomes the container for practicing real restorative skills: active listening, shared decision‑making, productive failure, and repair when things go sideways.

By the end of the fellowship, each participant writes and facilitates a community Circle. Youth who successfully lead their Circle in the community by end of year become Certified Circle Practitioners.

Our Conflict Resolution Training, Restorative Conversations for Conflict Transformation, supports teams in navigating conflict with clarity, empathy, and restorative values. Participants explore the core principles of restorative justice, examine different conflict styles, and practice communication strategies that strengthen accountability and connection. The training also incorporates movement‑based reflection to help staff notice how their bodies respond under stress and deepen self‑awareness in moments of tension.

Through interactive role plays and real‑world scenarios, the learning comes to life in ways that build confidence and practical skill.

Fusion Houston and Restorative Houston sponsored two cohorts of our semester-long leadership training for girls of color. This program, called The Sisterhood Circle Fellowship, trained the students for four sessions in how to build community in a circle, repair conflicts, communicate effectively, and advocate for self and community. Students gained leadership skills based on a  “RJ Girls Leadership Program” evaluated by Georgetown University and co-written by Restorative Houston’s Executive Director, Anita Wadhwa. The curriculum covered the roots of restorative justice, identifying and addressing oppression, public speaking, self-care and mindfulness.Stay connected for future program announcements as opportunities develop.

In this training, we explored what authentic youth partnership looks like in schools—through movement, reflection, writing, and dialogue—so young people most impacted by disciplinary disproportionalities can shape the practices meant for them.

100 percent of participants reported that the training delivered practical tools, prompted meaningful reflection on their own assumptions, and deepened their understanding of restorative justice. They also shared that the facilitator created an engaging, welcoming learning environment. Every participant said they would recommend the training to someone else.