Launch of new helpline and update on Why me?’s Restorative Justice Service
This is a blog by our CEO, Sara Dowling.
We are excited to announce that Why me? is launching a new Restorative Justice helpline to provide confidential, accessible and supportive guidance to individuals and communities seeking restorative responses to harm, conflict or injustice. The introduction of this new service marks a significant step forward in facilitating improved access to Restorative Justice for both the public and service providers.
The helpline will:
- Support harmed and harmers to access Restorative Justice
- Answer queries from the general public about Restorative Justice
- Bridge access to local Restorative Justice services
- Support the sector in their delivery of transformative Restorative Justice.
Why are we doing this?
The launch of our new Restorative Justice helpline comes after a robust strategic review and subsequent decision by the Trustees to pause our direct Restorative Justice service. Why me? set up its own Restorative Justice service in 2015; a decade later and the wider Restorative Justice ecosystem has evolved. The Victims’ Code now states that all victims have a statutory right to be given information about Restorative Justice and, in England and Wales, can get it through their locally-funded service. However, despite this entitlement under the Victims Code, we know that only 5.5% of victims of crime recall being told about Restorative Justice. As a result, there is still a great need for Why me? to advocate on behalf of victims and perpetrators in their quest to access Restorative Justice.
We previously provided a ‘safety net’ service, taking on cases that local services could not take on, whether this was due to blanket bans, lack of capacity or lack of expertise in a particular area. In this changed landscape, it is our view that the service we were delivering was no longer needed, was not likely to gain funding, and was in fact working against the aims of the very sector that we exist to support.
A legacy of pioneering Restorative Justice delivery
Why me? is proud of its legacy of pioneering Restorative Justice delivery, and we are so grateful to the many incredible volunteers who worked with us to enable this. Why me?’s own Restorative Justice service was staffed by a team of highly skilled volunteer facilitators and was accredited by the Restorative Justice Council. We specialised in complex and sensitive cases, primarily in the area of domestic and sexual violence (DSV). We helped victims such as Janika Cartwright and Paul Kohler to access Restorative Justice when other support services turned down repeated requests or never made ‘the offer’. Alongside the work of our service, we also campaigned strongly for the wider use of Restorative Justice in such cases and the lifting of any ‘blanket bans’ within local Restorative Justice provision, especially with our PCC Ten Asks campaigns. This campaign work will, of course, continue.
The responses to our annual National Survey of Restorative Justice Service Providers last year were evidence that our efforts in this area had paid off, as most local providers no longer have ‘blanket bans’ on particular crime types such as DSV. A widely reported drop in referrals post-pandemic also means that local Restorative Justice providers are keen to retain any cases that are referred to them.
A new Restorative Justice helpline
In this new climate, we took the decision to pause our direct Restorative Justice service and, instead, to set up a Restorative Justice helpline. We know that many victims of crime continue to experience difficulties in accessing Restorative Justice because they are not informed about their local service. Our helpline will aim to change that by providing information and support to access services locally.
Our Restorative Justice helpline will be staffed by team members and volunteers who are knowledgeable about and have experience in Restorative Justice. They will have an initial conversation with a person seeking Restorative Justice and, if appropriate, signpost them to their local service or make a referral. If the case is not suitable for Restorative Justice, the caller will be signposted to the appropriate support service.
Our Restorative Justice helpline will also act as a point of contact for Restorative Justice professionals and the sector to access trusted information, guides and materials on Restorative Justice in the criminal legal system.
As an organisation we will continue to be involved in the delivery of Restorative Justice as part of our project work, and by training and overseeing the work of local community facilitators, promoting good practice, delivering cases and breaking down barriers to Restorative Justice in specific crime types.
Why me? exists to increase access to Restorative Justice for all of those affected by crime and conflict. Our aim is to support and champion the work of local providers and help victims to access Restorative Justice locally. It is our intention that our new Restorative Justice helpline will help to support these aims and increase the number of referrals to local services. We are so excited to be launching this new service and to see the benefits this will have to providers and members of the public.
Please contact our helpline at rjservice@why-me.org if any of the following apply:
- If you have been affected by crime or conflict and would like to access Restorative Justice
- You work with victims of crime or perpetrators and they have expressed an interest in Restorative Justice
- You are service provider, seeking advice on Restorative Justice
- You are someone who just wants to know more about Restorative Justice
We look forward to hearing from you!
Please note, our Restorative Justice helpline is an email service to enable us to best support our enquirers. If you are unable to contact us via email, you can call our general enquiry phone number on 020 4591 1970.
