Workshops to cover key issues for city

Photo/File

Growing interest in Wanganui's upcoming restorative city conference has meant organisers have rejigged the agenda.

Shelly Harkness, facilitator for Restorative Practices Whanganui, said the two-day conference next month had attracted increasing interest both nationally and internationally and as a result the organisers had more than doubled the number of workshops that will be run.

Ms Harkness said the March 28-29 event initially had a a mix of speakers and small but intense workshops.

"But due to increasing interest, both around the country and overseas, we have increased the number of workshops available and updated some of the original workshops," she said.

The programme's workshops run all through Friday and then until midday Saturday.

Among topics being covered are respectful relationships in a safer city, building a non-violent community, indigenous restorative practice, human rights, elder abuse and youth justice and recovery from trauma.

The last two workshops on Saturday morning will focus on the role of Government and community agencies and practical approaches to healing for those affected by wrongdoing.

Ms Harkness said the conference has the working title of "making sense of restorative practice - an international exchange of ideas".

"While there will some guest speakers, the aim of this conference is to split delegates into smaller working groups so they can question those keynote speakers, discuss issues and then come back to conference at the end of the session with their ideas," she said.

Heritage House is the venue with the opening on Friday morning followed by an address by Jennifer Llewellyn, associate law professor at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and currently an adviser to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

Workshops will take up the rest of the day before a dinner on Friday night where the guest speaker is Kim Workman, well known for his work in New Zealand's prison system.

Registration costs $75 per person (from not-for-profit organisations) and $100 per person (for businesses).

Register by email:

info@restorativepracticeswhanganui.co.nz

check out the website:

www.restorativepracticeswhanganui.co.nz

or telephone (06) 343 3648.