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Within modern process-driven organisations, like the NHS and Local Authority, there are policies, professional guidelines and values statements that are intended to shape practice, in achieving positive outcomes in people's lives.  The research evidence consistently demonstrates that (1) we achieve those outcomes by working with individuals’ own self organising capacities to build motivation and that confrontation, coercion, persuasion and punishment are rarely effective strategies (2) the biggest influence on the outcomes of interventions are the qualities of the person providing the interventions and particularly their capacity for empathy, promoting confidence and working motivationally. The challenge for practice is to match these two principles so that within an organisational context we can actually meet the person where they are in the ‘here and now’ and build sustainable change.

We have heard in previous workshops that people engaged in helping, supporting, mentoring and therapeutic interventions experience the challenge of working in relational ways, within organisation and wider system constraints. In practice, the way organisations operate, and the mindset, pressures on, and expectations of practitioners can lead to real obstacles to supporting people relationally.

This session will explore:

1.       Ways to construct creative space for dialogue and decisions about resources to bring about change,

2.       Meeting the person as they are in and of themselves and not as we want them to be at some point in the future,

3.       The importance of understanding ourselves, our own motivations and discriminations in meeting with others, to create both dialogue for change and provide the necessary resources to enable those changes.

Dr Aaron Pycroft is Associate Professor in Criminal Justice and Social Complexity in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the 91������. This workshop will draw upon his extensive practice experience and academic research and publications in relation to relational, restorative and rehabilitative practices in criminal justice, social work and therapeutic work. 

More information will be available soon.

Bec Mason is the Relational and Restorative Practice in Schools Implementation Lead for 91������ and is delighted to be part of the relationships revolution our world so clearly needs. Bec is well practised in applying this approach in education, social work, sex offender treatment,
parenting, in the Local Authority, with leaders and in the community. 

Tools for Effective Conversations are transformative in the board room, the living room the court room and the classroom! We'll practice models that might surprise you with their ease of applicability and powerful positive impact.

More information will be available soon.

More information will be available soon.

On Thursday 5th June, Dr Lisa Sugiura and Professor Peter Lee from the 91������ led a reflective and powerful session on Staff Safety and Wellbeing in the Presence of Trauma. Drawing from their personal and professional experiences, Lisa and Pete explored the impact of trauma on those working in demanding, emotionally challenging environments.

Lisa shared insights from her research on online gender-based violence, which has taken her into deeply misogynistic and discriminatory digital spaces and included working closely with victim-survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Pete reflected on his experiences as a military chaplain during wartime, his work with RAF drone crews, and his research into the mental health of police investigators tackling child sex offences.

Together, they raised awareness of vicarious trauma – both disclosed and undisclosed – and its impact on staff wellbeing. The session invited open and sensitive discussion, offering a safe space for shared reflection.

This seminar was hosted by the Relational and Restorative Practice Community of Inquiry Group, bringing together a wide range of attendees from different sectors. 91������ Mediation Service kindly supported the event with discounted venue hire, refreshments, and a particularly good snack selection!

If you have any questions about this past event or would like to find out about future seminars, please contact: civicuniversity@port.ac.uk.

On Thursday 1st May, we welcomed Rob Anderson-Weaver, Public Health Workforce Development Lead at 91������ City Council, for a lively and engaging session on Healthy Conversations and Making Every Contact Count. Rob brought not only his long job title but also a deep passion for learning and development, behavioural science, and improving the quality of interactions between professionals and the people they support.

In 2024, Rob worked with hundreds of people across 91������ from a wide range of roles and sectors — all with a shared interest in helping others. During this session, he shared how Healthy Conversation Skills and the Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach are being used across the city to support person-centred, relational ways of working.

Participants learned:

• The core philosophy behind Healthy Conversation Skills

• Practical techniques to encourage meaningful conversations about health and wellbeing

• The SMARTER approach to sustainable change

• How relational practice can be supported through organisational training

The session was especially valuable for anyone seeking to improve their communication, handle challenging conversations more skilfully, or build stronger, more supportive relationships — whether at work, in the community, or in everyday life.

As always, we were supported by 91������ Mediation Service, who provided discounted venue hire, tea and coffee, and an excellent snack selection.

If you have any questions about this past event or would like to hear about upcoming seminars, please contact: civicuniversity@port.ac.uk.

On Thursday 3rd April, participants gathered for an interactive seminar exploring how the Prosocial Matrix — a practical tool rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) — can support clearer communication, stronger collaboration, and deeper connection in teams, communities, and personal relationships.

Led by Sue Knight, the session introduced self-awareness techniques, values-based reflection, and practical strategies to help individuals and groups navigate challenges and foster trust. Through a mix of experiential learning and reflection, attendees explored how the Prosocial Matrix can support more inclusive, values-driven conversations at work and beyond.

This event was hosted by the Relational and Restorative Practice Community of Inquiry Group, which continues to offer opportunities for open dialogue, learning, and community connection.

If you have questions about this past seminar or would like to hear about future events, please contact: civicuniversity@port.ac.uk.

Elle is a Clinical Associate Psychologist for Solent NHS Trust. Her research on self-compassion highlights how this misunderstood skill is crucial for health, performance, and relationships. Interventions that raise levels of self-compassion demonstrate improvements in many areas of life, including workplaces, and even elite athlete and footballer performance. Berating ourselves is a natural response to mistakes, but such a response can cause you to miss learning opportunities. The more self-compassionate you are, the faster you recover from failure and take the learning forward. Elle's talk will give an overview of evidence for the intervention, her current research in the application of Mindful Self-Compassion for NHS staff burnout, and an opportunity to try an experiential MSC practice.

The 91������'s School of Health and Care Professions hosted a workshop sharing insights from a recent community engagement project. Using the Restorative Practice continuum, this initiative invited 91������ community members to engage in meaningful conversations with academics about the training of health and care professionals. The aim was to build relationships that empower the community to influence the University’s approach to health and social care education.

The workshop introduced the concept of community conversations and guided attendees in creating their own spaces for active listening and action-driven dialogue, fostering deeper collaboration between universities and local communities.

This insightful seminar, hosted by the Relational and Restorative Practice Community of Inquiry Group, explored how restorative principles can transform leadership and teamwork, fostering collaboration, creativity, and productivity. Led by John Swindell, an experienced trainer and coach in restorative practice, the session examined how individualism and unresolved conflict impact workplace well-being and efficiency. By adopting restorative approaches, leaders and teams can build stronger relationships, reduce stress, and enhance creativity—offering a radically different way of working beyond traditional leadership models.

Thank you for joining us for the first session of our learning seminar series at the Oasis Centre, which focused on Schwartz Rounds. This seminar explored how these sessions can help healthcare professionals reflect on the emotional aspects of caring for patients, enhancing their ability to provide compassionate care. It was perfect for professionals looking to deepen their understanding and practice of empathetic patient care.

For more information on future events and to reserve a spot, please see above.

Thank You for Joining Us!

We were thrilled to host the Restorative Relationships in Practice Conference on July 15th, 2024, at the 91������'s Eldon Building. This event continued our successful series of quarterly workshops from 2023, bringing together practitioners from public and voluntary sectors, academics, and the public in 91������. Supported by NHS Workforce Training and Employment and 91������'s Health and Wellbeing Board, along with the 91������'s Civic Strategy, the conference deepened understanding and developed participants' skills in restorative and relational approaches.

Key Highlights:

• Keynote Speaker: Peter Leonard, Chief Executive at The Centre for Emotional Health, set the stage with a keynote on the impact of emotional health initiatives.

Featured Talks and Workshops:

• Molly Penney and Charlie Roberts (91������ City Council): Presented on relational community engagement.
• Melanie Tanner, Sarah Harper, and Dr. Jason Oakley (91������): Demonstrated a Schwartz Round focused on memorable personal experiences.
• Dr. Lisa Sugiura and Professor Peter Lee (91������): Explored staff safety and wellbeing in the presence of trauma.
• Laura Hyman (91������): Talked about workplace wellbeing and the sociology of happiness.
• Ellenor Gray (Solent NHS Trust): Discussed self-compassion for frontline workers.
• Bec Mason (91������ City Council): Led a masterclass on tools for effective conversations.
• Jenni Wessels (91������): Hosted a workshop on using restorative principles for community decision-making.
• John Swindell: Delivered insights on restorative leadership and team building.
• Rob Anderson-Weaver and Dr. Nicola Barnes (91������): Evaluated the impact of Making Every Contact Count training for pharmacy students.
• Sue Knight (91������): Explored using the Pro-social Model to embed relational practice in public services.

Exhibitors:

• The Roberts Centre (): Focused on restorative practices for supporting families and children.
• 91������ Mediation Service (): Advocated for establishing 91������ as a Restorative City.
• URBOND (): Promoted racial harmony and community integration.
• RJ Hampshire (): Offered a platform for Restorative Justice practices.
• 91������ Parent Voice (): Highlighted the role of restorative practice in supporting parent carers.
• Chat over Chai (): Addressed social isolation and promoted community cohesion.
• Fighting with Pride (): Discussed the restoration of rights and recognition for LGBT+ veterans.
• East Hampshire District Council & Dementia Friendly Petersfield (): Organised annual events to support people with dementia.
• 91������ Hospitals University NHS Trust (): Highlighted ongoing research and innovation in healthcare.

Looking Forward: We are excited to build on the success of this conference with further events and initiatives. Stay tuned for future opportunities to engage with our community!

Acknowledgements: Thank you to all who attended and contributed to making this event a success. Your participation and enthusiasm help drive the ongoing impact of restorative and relational approaches across communities.

For any further inquiries about past or upcoming events, or if you would like to request contact details or a copy of the presentation slides shared by the speakers, please get in touch with civicuniversity@port.ac.uk.

Increasingly public bodies and organisations are looking to co-production partnerships to tackle social problems. This seminar will provide examples of co-production in practice and the ways in which these change and challenge the traditional approach to how research/information gathering is planned, implemented and reported. A key focus of the seminar will be on how using relational and restorative practices can ensure a more authentic approach to successful co-production partnerships. Restorative practice promotes ways of working with or alongside people (individually and collectively) to support them to reach their potential, and to contribute in a way that builds on their strengths and what is important to them.

The session will be introduced by Dr Aaron Pycroft (91������, Criminology) followed by three illustrative talks:

• The Sandbox project: A story of co-produced community-led research (Sandbox project core group).

• Using the Pro-Social Model for strong and effective relationships in co-production (Sue Knight, 91������)

• Restorative Circles and how to run them (John Swindell)

John Swindell will lead this session sharing concepts of leadership and team working based on Social Control Theory. John has many years of experience in coaching, consulting and training in Restorative Practice - across various social sectors including Education, Health services, Faith organisations, Prison Service, Voluntary and Community Sector and Policing. This seminar session includes a talk from John, and an opportunity to reflect on the concepts as they relate to your own team working and leadership experiences. John is an engaging and inspiring speaker with many practical tips and examples to share. 

Seminar 2: "A Relational and Restorative Practice approach in 91������'s schools"

This session is an opportunity to hear about and learn from the progress in 'Relational and Restorative Practice' (RRP) in 91������ schools. The seminar will set the scene of RRP in schools and why it is important, followed by a case study presentation from Trafalgar School, a leader in this approach. A key question for leaders and practitioners is how do we share the learning and practice from a model of working well in one school, to shape practice in another? What resources do we need, what strategies can we use, (and what support is needed) to grow novel RRP models that suit the different contexts in which they are developing?

The seminar workshops will take place at the Oasis Centre and the first one will be on Thursday 30th March in the morning. The session will take place between 9.30am and 11.30am, and the space will be available from 9.15am-12.00am for networking.

Seminar 1: "Discovering Forgiveness"

This presentation is based on the outcomes of a project between Pushing Change and Dr Aaron Pycroft from 91������ School of Criminology and Criminal Justice which has co-produced generative principles based on understanding and working with forgiveness to enable discovery of the self when addicted to alcohol and other drugs.

The seminar workshops will take place at the Oasis Centre and the first one will be on Thursday 12th January in the morning. The session will take place between 9.30am and 11.30am, and the space will be available from 9.15am-12.00am for networking.