Restorative Justice Volunteer Opportunities

Campus in the summer

Get involved with CU Restorative Justice (CURJ) and help strengthen relationships on campus and in the Boulder community. 

Restorative Justice brings people together to talk about harm, understand its impact and identify ways to repair relationships and move forward. Students, faculty, staff and community members can get involved with CURJ through several volunteer and learning opportunities. 

Depending on your interests and experience, you can participate as a community representative, train to become a restorative justice facilitator or complete an internship. 

Interested in getting involved? Email curj@colorado.edu to learn more about current volunteer and training opportunities. 

Become a CURJ Community Representative

Community representatives participate in restorative justice conferences and share their perspectives as members of the CU Boulder or broader Boulder community. They help create a welcoming, respectful environment where participants can discuss what happened, how others were affected and what can be done to repair harm. 

Training commitment: 1 hour 

After completing the training, community representatives can sign up to participate in restorative justice conferences. 

Become a Restorative Justice Facilitator

Facilitators guide restorative justice conferences and help participants have productive conversations about harm, accountability and repairing relationships. They ask questions, keep conversations on track and create space for everyone involved to share their perspectives. 

The CURJ Facilitator Training Program combines workshops, hands-on experience, reading and reflection. Participants develop practical facilitation skills while building their understanding of restorative justice and restorative practices.

What Facilitator Training Includes 

The program takes approximately 28 hours and includes three main components. The recommended timeline for completion is one semester. 

Workshop and training

Commitment: About 5 hours 

Participants learn about: 

  • The history, context and origins of restorative justice 
  • The CURJ conference process 
  • Asking meaningful and guiding questions 
  • Facilitation skills through practice and role-play 

Shadowing and practical experience

Commitment: About 13 hours 

Participants gain hands-on experience by: 

  • Working alongside an experienced facilitator 
  • Discussing and reflecting on each facilitation experience 
  • Interviewing a restorative justice practitioner 
  • Learning about restorative justice in settings such as Boulder Municipal Court 

Reading, writing and reflection

Commitment: About 10 hours 

Participants deepen their knowledge through readings on restorative justice and complete a portfolio demonstrating what they have learned. Activities may include: 

  • Reading books, articles and restorative justice practitioner guidelines 
  • Writing a case study based on a restorative justice case they facilitated 
  • Analyzing and providing feedback on the CURJ process 
  • Writing a personal reflection and facilitator statement 
  • Presenting their portfolio and sharing what they learned with other participants 

Readings may include The Little Book of Restorative Justice for Colleges and Universities, Colorizing Restorative Justice, Reframing Campus Conflict, Until We Reckon and the Colorado Restorative Justice Practitioner Guidelines. 

Participants submit their completed portfolio to the assistant director of restorative justice and conflict resolution. Those who complete the program receive a CURJ Facilitator Training Certificate of Completion. 

Email curj@colorado.edu to ask about upcoming facilitator training opportunities. 

Complete a CURJ Internship

CU Boulder students may also be able to explore restorative justice through an internship offered through the Department of Sociology. 

Interns can build their understanding of restorative justice through research, readings and hands-on experience. Depending on their internship, students may: 

  • Complete a project related to restorative justice 
  • Explore restorative justice through readings and research 
  • Train as a community representative or facilitator 
  • Participate in weekly restorative justice conferences 

Community representative and facilitator training hours can also count toward internship hours. 

Contact your major department’s internship coordinator for more information about internship options. Students completing the Peace, Conflict and Security (PACS) certificate can also review information about PACS 4900: Independent Study/Internship with CU’s Restorative Justice Program.