Why me?

A project to support adults who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) to better access and engage in Restorative Justice (RJ)

Project Objectives

• To improve the health and well-being of people who use EAL, through providing them with Restorative Justice information and options at their point of need
• To increase the Restorative Justice knowledge, understanding and skills of EAL professionals and representatives and their confidence to make RJ referrals
• To improve the knowledge and understanding of Restorative Justice professionals about the needs of people who use EAL and to develop the service design and delivery of RJ services to meet their needs
• To produce a best practice guidance and checklist for supporting adults with EAL, to be used by all RJ providers
• To influence national and regional policy and commissioning to increase restorative provision for people using EAL against their entitlement in the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime

Project Partners

Why me? champions the cause for greater access for victims of crime to Restorative Justice throughout England and Wales. Many people affected by crime feel sidelined by the criminal justice process. Restorative Justice gives them the chance to ask questions about the crime, explain the impact that it had on them, and have a say in how the harm can be repaired. This often helps people affected by crime to move forward and recover, and can help people who commit crime to move onto a better path.

About the Project

To date there has been little guidance for professionals who would like to offer Restorative Justice to victims of crime who use English as an Additional Language. Why me? will partner with organisations in three different areas of the country in order to improve the support provided to victims of crime who use English as an Additional Language. Through the learning identified by working with practitioners with knowledge of communities and languages spoken, materials and approaches which meet the needs of victims who use English as an Additional Language will be generated. The insights and resources developed will be shared nationally through roundtables, publications and policy work to raise awareness and to support practitioners to enable the transformative experience of Restorative Justice to be offered to more victims of crime. Through this project Restorative Justice practitioners, community organisations and service users will all be reached, and the valuable data and insights generated on how to make services accessible and meaningful where there is a language barrier will be shared.