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Description
The overall objective of the project is to implement the Family Group Conference (FGC) method as a family-based approach to restorative justice to support and empower family networks in solving the issues of children and juveniles that have committed legal offences.
Specific objectives of the project are:
- To enable children/young people and their families access to support based on restorative justice via the FGC method, empowering families to take more responsibility and make use of the resources in their family network to improve the situation of children.
- Develop an implementation system to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of FGC as a restorative justice method in Estonia.
The role of the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir):
- to provide consultations on the implementation of FGC and the establishment of an implementation system as a measure of restorative justice
- to participate in the opening seminar to give an overview of the Norwegian experience
- to participate and support the implementation of activities in other ways according to the needs arising during the project.
The role of Hiiumaa Social Centre as a project partner:
- appointment of a person responsible for the organisation of the FGC-RJ service and ensuring the implementation of the method when working with families;
- selection of participants for the training of FGC coordinators focused on restorative justice;
- covering of transport and accommodation costs of participants in the training course and supervision;
- ensuring remuneration for FGC coordinators focused on restorative justice;
- ensuring the sustainability of service provision as a service provided by the Hiiumaa Social Centre.
Tallinn Children’s Safety Centre managed by the project partner Tallinn Social and Health Care Board participates as a beneficiary and a potential organiser of the FGC service.
Summary of project results
The overall objective of the project was to implement the Family Group Conference (FGC) method as a family-based approach to restorative justice to support and empower family networks in solving the issues of children and juveniles that have committed legal offences.
Specific objectives of the project were:
- To enable children/young people and their families access to support based on restorative justice via the FGC method, empowering families to take more responsibility and make use of the resources in their family network to improve the situation of children.
- Develop an implementation system to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of FGC as a restorative justice method in Estonia.
The project developed guidance materials regarding Family Group Conference (FGC) method as a family-based approach to restorative justice and trained 26 FGC practicioners on the topic of restorative justice.
Altogerther 43 families were engaged in restorative justice initiatives through the implementation FGC method.
Due to co-fin deficiency no training of trainers as well as no training of supervisors took place.
Prevention Centre is consulting the local governments on using the suitable restorative justice initative approach and distributes information on Family Group Conference (FGC) method as a family-based approach to restorative justice. This method is eligible for national financial support as mental health service and psychosocial support. The organisation has received also strategic partnership financial support from the MInistry of Social Affairs to develop and distribute the FGC method.
Summary of bilateral results
Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth, and Family Affairs (BufDir) played a consulting role and participated virtually at the project opening event. Partnership relations did not go very deep and detail (different type of organisations with different functionalities adn responsibilities), but cooperation with Family Group Conference (FGC) method national coordinator Ms Svanhild Vik continues on a needs-driven basis.