Building a Community of Belonging
Brave Spaces
A brave space encourages dialogue, recognizes differences, holds each person accountable to do the work, and encourages participants to approach topics with a growth mindset. In brave spaces there is an understanding that the learning is often difficult and typically uncomfortable.
Ways to Engage in a Brave Space
- Enter the conversation with curiosity
- Take risks
- Hold yourself accountable
- Assume good intentions
- Sit with and lean into discomfort
- Examine your relationship with the subject
- Resist centering your own shame, guilt, fear, and emotions
- Stay on topic and be mindful of avoidance tactics
- Avoid trying to control others' emotions, experiences, and/or pain
- Allow learnings from the conversation to leave with you and individuals' stories and specifics to remain in the room
The Restorative Process
Using a guiding set of questions, the Restorative Process intends to repair relationships and reduce punitive solutions when conflict arises. The restorative process at The Oaks School is a facilitation technique and skill-building practice that restores friendships and community relationships by meaningfully addressing harm and engaging with conflict through thoughtful introspection, personal accountability, and mutual understanding.
