Our next workshops are...                                      Palmerston North                                        Tuesday 21st July 2026                          Auckland                                                         Tuesday 28 July 2026
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Workshops

At JSMS we deliver interactive, practice-focused workshops that strengthen cultural competence across several sectors, including restorative justice, family mediation, education, healthcare and more. Our workshops are designed to support practitioners to critically examine frameworks, understand cultural dynamics, and adapt processes to ensure safety, ethical integrity, and meaningful participation across diverse communities.

Our next scheduled workshops are…

Restorative Justice Principles Through a Cultural Lens

Working with Indian & South Asian Communities

Indians are now the third largest ethnic group in Aotearoa, and family violence cases form an increasingly significant part of restorative justice work. While existing restorative justice frameworks and training provide a strong foundation, they do not always offer practical guidance for navigating cultural complexity. To help bridge this gap, JSMS have put together a workshop that will strengthen your cultural confidence and equip you with practical strategies to ensure your restorative justice practice is inclusive, culturally safe, and effective for Indian and South Asian families.

Hosted by Manawatū Restorative Justice Trust, this workshop is one of the offerings present at the North Island Professional Development Winter Workshops 2026. Attendance is free for all restorative justice facilitators and offers an opportunity to deepen knowledge, strengthen practice, and connect with colleagues from across the sector.

Workshop One: Tuesday 21st July 2026, 1-4pm @ Caccia Birch House, 130 Te Awe Awe Road, Hokowhitu, Palmerston North

Workshop Two: Tuesday 28th July 2026, 1-4pm @ Waipuna Conference Centre, 58 Waipuna Road, Mount Wellington, Auckland

Register Now!

What is this workshop about?

Restorative justice principles guide our daily practice, but how often do we pause to consider how these principles might be understood, experienced and expressed across different cultural contexts? This interactive workshop centres restorative justice practice within the realities of working alongside Indian and South Asian families. It introduces key cultural frameworks (including collectivism, family hierarchy, gender expectations, faith influences, and community reputation) and links these directly to everyday facilitation decisions.

Building on this foundation, the workshop will critically examine the six restorative justice principles through a culturally responsive lens, exploring where Western interpretations may align with or unintentionally conflict with South Asian cultural realities.

By the end of the session, practitioners will leave with a more nuanced understanding of how to adapt restorative justice processes in ways that are culturally attuned, ethically grounded, and responsive to the lived experiences of Indian and South Asian communities.

Who are the trainers?

Past Events & Workshops

Restorative Justice Principles Through a Cultural Lens: Working with Indian and South Asian Families

Tuesday 9 June 2026, 9:00am - 3:00pm @ JetPark Conference Centre, Auckland Airport

An interactive, full day professional development workshop that explored culturally responsive practice through reflection, discussion, critical application and practical strategies participants can apply in their everyday work.

20 professionals trained | 9.2/10 average recommendation rating

100% reported increased cultural understanding | 100% felt more confident applying culturally responsive practice | 93% intend to change their professional practice as a result of the workshop

“A powerful workshop on the importance of understanding cultural frameworks, language and people when working in the space of Restorative approaches to restoration and reconciliation.”
— Workshop Participant
“Thank you for sharing your nuances and ability to navigate us through this process. It has left me with the ability to question my questioning skills and to hone succinct questions that encourage clear concise communication.”
— Workshop Participant

Cultural Awareness in Mediation: Supporting Indian and South Asian Families

Thursday, 28 May 2026, 5.30 pm - 7.30 pm

Dentons Kensington Swan, 18 Viaduct Harbour Ave

For Resolution Institute Members, attendance earned 1.5 CPD Hours.

Building Cultural Awareness: Working with Indians Communities in the RJ Space

Thursday 27 March & Friday 28 March 2025

2× 1 hour workshops

2025 National Restorative Justice Conference, Palmerston North.

  • "I was blown away with this workshop. It made me realise, you don't know what you don't know, and I couldn't help but reflect on cases I had dealt with in the past, not realising if I may have inadvertently caused harm because of things I did not know at the time. This workshop fills such a need and I cannot wait to attend more."

    Workshop Attendee (from “Building Cultural Awareness” Workshop 2025)

  • "I valued the reminder that we always need to look beyond the exterior presenting circumstances to get a good understanding of the situation, especially in situations where in-laws are involved."

    Workshop Attendee (from “Building Cultural Awareness” Workshop 2025)

  • "It was so helpful understanding the challenges when addressing the needs of parties from diverse cultural backgrounds, from a non-Maori, non-European perspective."

    Workshop Attendee (from “Building Cultural Awareness” workshop)

  • "This workshop was incredibly eye-opening and is such a worthwhile investment for all practitioners. Thank you so much!"

    Workshop Attendee (from “Building Cultural Awareness” workshop 2025)

  • "Thank you ladies. It was a wonderful day of learning and growing!"

    Workshop Attendee (from “Restorative Justice Principles Through a Cultural Lens”, 9 June 2026)

  • "The workshop was very informative and helpful. It provided real-life examples that helped put the concepts into context and demonstrated how they can be applied in practice. Some examples of valuable questions were shared that can be used when working on similar cases, encouraging critical thinking and a more structured approach to assessment and decision-making. The discussions throughout the workshop enhanced my understanding of the subject matter and provided practical strategies that I can confidently apply in future work."

    Workshop Attendee (from “Restorative Justice Principles Through a Cultural Lens”, 9 June 2026)

  • "Fabulous - loved it and appreciate the work you are doing and so willingly sharing."

    Workshop Attendee (from “Restorative Justice Principles Through a Cultural Lens”, 9 June 2026)

  • "A powerful workshop on the importance of understanding cultural frameworks, language and people when working in the space of Restorative approaches to restoration and reconciliation."

    Workshop Attendee (from “Restorative Justice Principles Through a Cultural Lens”, 9 June 2026)

  • "Kia Ora Jess and Christabel. How lovely it was to meet you both today. Thank you for sharing your nuances and ability to navigate us through this process. It has left me with the ability to question my questioning skills and to hone succinct questions that encourage clear concise communication."

    Workshop Attendee (from “Restorative Justice Principles Through a Cultural Lens”, 9 June 2026)

Did you attend our 9th June Workshop? Click here for resources!

Workshop Attendee Resource Hub