Single Credit Course on "Restorative Practice and Justice: Theory and Tools for Building Compassionate Communities"
National Law University Odisha
Introduction
Recognizing the growing relevance of restorative approaches in justice and community-building, the NLUO Centre for Mediation and Negotiation (NLUO CMN), in collaboration with Accords International (AcIn), successfully conducted a Single Credit Course titled "Restorative Practice and Justice: Theory and Tools for Building Compassionate Communities". The course was delivered in a sixteen-hour format over multiple sessions, from 15th November to 30th November, 2025, and was designed with the goal of imparting both theoretical knowledge and practical skills relating to restorative processes, conflict transformation, trauma-informed care, and community-centred approaches to justice.
Participants engaged in reflective activities focused on self-care, empathy-building, and cultivating compassionate environments. Artistic and creative exercises further enriched the learning experience, offering alternative pathways for expression and insight. Led by experienced practitioners, the course provided a rigorous yet engaging platform for educators, community leaders, social workers, and others interested in transformative justice.
Course Objectives
Comprehensive Understanding
Develop deep knowledge of Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices principles and applications.
Active Listening & Communication
Master active listening skills and nonviolent communication techniques for conflict resolution.
Restorative Circles
Learn to facilitate and participate in restorative circles with practical application skills.
Self-Care & Community Care
Focus on personal well-being and community care practices for sustainable restorative work.
Course Learning Outcomes
Participants developed an understanding of Restorative Justice (RJ) and Restorative Practices (RP).
Participants enhanced their active listening and nonviolent communication skills.
Participants were able to differentiate between RJ and adversarial criminal justice systems, understand the limitations of punitive models, and recognize the transformative potential of RJ. They gained insight into healing, rehabilitation, and community involvement, addressing the needs of both the harmed and the harmer.
Participants learned to apply restorative approaches in various contexts, including schools, colleges, and families, equipping them to adapt RJ and RP to diverse environments with their respective challenges and dynamics.
Target Group & Methodology
Participant Profile
The course was attended by a total of 54 participants, including students and professionals, representing a wide diversity of universities and locations.
Learning Approach
Participants learned by doing, engaging in interactive methodologies such as case studies, simulations, and role-playing exercises. The course structure ensured a practical approach, enhancing their ability to apply concepts in real-world scenarios.
Course Structure and Syllabus Overview
The structure and delivery of the course were grounded in a well-defined academic framework consisting of four modules:
Module I
Introduction to restorative practices through ice-breakers, core concepts, values, principles, and building a restorative mindset.
Module II
Focus on self-care, emotional healing, circle keeping, and community care practices.
Module III
Examination of restorative justice within the criminal justice system, highlighting distinctions from adversarial approaches, restorative child justice, and challenges in institutional adoption in India.
Module IV
Application of restorative practices to real-life settings such as schools, homes, workplaces, and communities, concluding with a reflective closing circle.
Interactive Teaching Methodology
A key feature of this single-credit course was its interactive, participatory teaching methodology. Instead of relying on lectures, the sessions used brainstorming, breakout discussions, case analyses, role plays, restorative circle simulations, and reflection-based activities. Students were encouraged to share experiences, practice active listening, and engage in restorative dialogue.
Google Meet breakout rooms enabled small-group problem solving, circle facilitation, and emotionally honest conversations based on real scenarios. The diverse backgrounds of participants added depth and vibrancy to the discussions.
The evaluation system supported this experiential model. Rather than relying solely on written work, assessments included peer feedback on facilitation and listening skills, poem and excerpt analysis, case study analysis, and quizzes, capturing both reflective growth and technical understanding.
Daily Session Breakdown
Day 1 - November 15, 2025
The first day commenced with an introduction and ice-breaking session, led by Dr. Akshay Verma, Assistant Professor of Law at NLUO. Dr. Verma began by orienting the participants to the structure and objectives of the course, providing an overview of the syllabus.
Dr. Akanksha Marwah, an academician, restorative practitioner and expert in child restorative justice, introduced the foundational concepts of RJ and RP, elaborating on their historical development, core philosophy, and practical significance. The session delved into core concepts including harm, accountability, relationship-building, and community participation.
Dr. Marwah facilitated an interactive exercise using the feelings and needs wheel, enabling participants to recognize emotions, identify unmet needs, and understand how these elements contribute to conflict and its resolution.
Day 2 - November 16, 2025
The second day continued the discussion on building restorative minds with Dr. Akanksha Marwah, who guided participants through reflective exercises that deepened their understanding of restorative thinking, emotional awareness, and empathetic engagement.
Dr. Sal Corbin, bringing fifteen years of academic experience and extensive work in community-level conflict transformation, introduced nuanced learning on trauma-informed care, unarmed civilian protection, and active bystander intervention.
The discussions covered the importance of self-care, particularly for circle keepers and facilitators, with a focus on grounding techniques and the art of facilitation. Participants engaged in self-care activities and community engagement exercises.
Day 3 - November 22, 2025
The third day featured a session by Jeri Fields, a restorative justice facilitator from the DC Peace Team, who drew upon her experience in community chaplaincy and circle work to offer compassionate and practical guidance on the art of facilitation.
Upasana Singh, J.S.D. candidate at Cornell Law School, provided research-based insights into the institutionalization of restorative systems within criminal justice frameworks. She examined the distinctions between Restorative Justice and the adversarial criminal justice model.
Day 4 - November 23, 2025
Dr. Akanksha Marwah opened the session and set the tone for the day's discussions. The first half was led by Theresa Huggins, who brings over twenty-five years of experience working within juvenile and adult detention settings. She shared valuable perspectives on harm, accountability, resilience, and healing, and elaborated on restorative questions and victim-offender dialogue.
Dr. Marwah continued with a focus on restorative child justice, using a book written by a 9-10-year-old girl whose grandfather was incarcerated to illustrate the emotional impact of incarceration on children and families. She discussed the potential for integrating restorative justice principles into the existing criminal justice system in India.
Day 5 - November 29, 2025
Dr. Akanksha Marwah discussed the application of restorative practices in the contemporary world. She explored the role of intersectionality in restorative work, emphasizing how identities and social structures influence experiences of harm, accountability, and healing.
The session included group activities in which participants, divided into teams of 4-5, engaged in applying restorative concepts through a restorative action plan and community-based practices. The discussion made use of the wheel of intersectionality and its associated pillars.
The session concluded with an examination of restorative practices in schools, highlighting how educational spaces can incorporate restorative approaches to build community, address conflict, and support student well-being.
Day 6 - November 30, 2025
On the sixth and final day, Dr. Akanksha Marwah led a session on the application of restorative practices within the home and workplace. The day included a quiz comprising multiple-choice and short-answer questions to assess participants' understanding of the concepts covered throughout the course.
Participants engaged in mental exercises aimed at converting judgments into observations, an essential skill for developing restorative communication. Templates for crafting compassionate sentences were introduced to help participants practice empathetic and non-violent expression.
The course concluded with a Final Reflection Circle, where participants shared insights, personal learnings, and reflections on their restorative journey, marking a thoughtful end to the six-day programme.
Expert Faculty & Facilitators
Dr. Akshay Verma
Assistant Professor of Law, NLUO
Course Introduction & Orientation
Dr. Akanksha Marwah
Restorative Practitioner & Expert
Child Restorative Justice Specialist
Dr. Sal Corbin
Conflict Transformation Expert
15 Years Academic Experience
Jeri Fields
DC Peace Team
Community Chaplain & Circle Facilitator
Upasana Singh
J.S.D. Candidate
Cornell Law School
Theresa Huggins
Juvenile Justice Expert
25+ Years Detention Experience
Participants' Feedback
Overwhelmingly Positive Response
Participants shared very positive feedback, noting that the interactive format strengthened their understanding of restorative concepts. They appreciated learning to shift from judgmental reactions to compassionate communication using observations, feelings, needs, and requests.
Key Learnings
- • Clearer perspectives on conflict resolution
- • Value of transparent conversations
- • Improved emotional awareness
- • Calm problem-solving approaches
- • Deeper respect and accountability
Suggestions for Improvement
- • More India-specific examples
- • Closer linkage to legal frameworks
- • Pre-session study materials
- • Additional assignments for practice
- • Longer discussion periods for reflection
Conclusion
Overall, the Single Credit Course on Restorative Practice and Justice: Theory and Tools for Building Compassionate Communities successfully created an intellectually and emotionally enriching academic environment. It enabled participants to critically understand the limitations of punitive systems, appreciate the value of harm-healing approaches, and explore restorative tools applicable to diverse social and professional settings.
The course strengthened cross-institutional collaboration, global academic exposure, and practical engagement with transformative justice, marking a significant step forward in promoting restorative approaches within the Indian legal and educational landscape.
Global Collaboration
International faculty and diverse perspectives
Practical Engagement
Hands-on learning with real scenarios
Transformative Impact
Building compassionate communities
Organizing Institutions
NLUO Centre for Mediation and Negotiation
National Law University Odisha
Accords International
Collaborative Partner (AcIn)