When a student experiences gender-based harm, the effects rarely stay contained to a single moment. They ripple. A young person may start avoiding the hallway where it happened, pulling back from friends, struggling to focus in class, or simply dreading coming to school. These aren’t discipline problems. They’re signs that someone is carrying something heavy and needs more than a consequence to help them heal.
That’s where Regional Red Deer Restorative Justice comes in.
A Program Built Around Healing
RRDRJ’s Gender-Based Harm Restorative Pathways Program is a specialized, trauma-informed support program for junior high and high school students. It was created because schools are sometimes asked to respond to situations that are deeply complex, emotionally charged, and simply bigger than what a standard disciplinary process can address.
Gender-based harm can take many forms: sexual harassment, coercive or controlling behaviour in relationships, gender-based bullying, online harassment, or social harm tied to gender dynamics. These experiences affect students of all genders and identities, and the impact can be lasting.
No Forced Contact. No Rushing. No One-Size-Fits-All.
One of the most important things to understand about this program is what it does not require. Students who have been harmed are never pressured into face-to-face contact with the person who hurt them. The process moves at the survivor’s pace, guided by their choices and their voice.
Trained facilitators work separately with each student, offering a range of non-contact pathways that allow survivors to process what happened on their own terms. These might include storytelling, expressive art, journal writing, restorative letter writing, or structured conversations using the Three Houses Restorative Crossing Model. Each pathway is designed to help a young person name the impact of what happened, find their footing again, and begin to move forward.
For students who caused harm, the program offers structured accountability conversations, opportunities to genuinely understand the impact of their actions, and support in developing real commitments to change.
When Both Students Are Ready
If and when both students are willing and prepared, a Restorative Conference brings them together with their chosen supports to speak directly about what happened and work toward repair. This step is never rushed, always voluntary, and only happens after thorough preparation on both sides. When it unfolds well, it can be genuinely transformative.
Why This Matters for Our Community
Young people spend a significant part of their lives in school. When harm happens in that space and goes unaddressed in a meaningful way, it doesn’t just affect one student. It shapes how safe an entire community feels.
RRDRJ’s program works alongside school policies, not instead of them. It fills a gap that discipline alone cannot, offering care, accountability, and a genuine path toward healing for everyone involved.
If you know a school community that could benefit from this kind of support, or if you’d like to learn more, we encourage you to reach out.
Jo Phillips, Executive Director Regional Red Deer Restorative Justice Phone: (403) 986-9904 Email: ed@rrdrestorativejustice.ca
