Achievements

Below are  some of the recent activities of Turning Point Partners Louisiana. Trainings and services have ranged widely, as they are custom designed to meet the needs of organizations and agencies.

For example, over a year of activity with the Conservation Corps of Greater New Orleans included trainings for all levels of staff and administration in restorative circles, trauma awareness, and Mindful Communication.  Direct services were provided also to the young adults involved in their programs.  In addition, TPP mentored Corps group leaders through observation and reflections of the work facilitated by them.

Collaboration with the Youth Empowerment Project focused on direct services for the youth in their program.  These services include restorative circle activity as well as art and field trips that focused on African-American heritage as part of an effort to foster resilience in the youth.

Community/Family Conferences and Victim/Offender Conferences were the focus for juvenile courts in Orleans and Jefferson Parish while circle work and victim awareness were the primary concentration at Bridge City Center for Youth over a three year period.  BCCY also included trainings in Mindful Communication with staff.


TRAININGS FACILITATED – these are 1-4 day trainings in which philosophy and practice are comprehensively considered.  See the “Trainings” web page for descriptions.

Restorative Justice/Restorative Discipline

  • Region II Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) Consortia (Baton Rouge 2011)
  • Cadence of Arcadia (Baton Rouge 2010)
  • Youth Empowerment Project (2010)
  • Conservation Corps of Greater New Orleans (2009)
  • Louisiana Office of Youth Development (2008)
  • Porch Neighborhood Restorative Justice Center (2008)
  • Orleans Detention Alternative Program (2008)
  • Youth Advocacy Program (2008)

Trauma Awareness and Resilience/Disaster and Crisis Intervention

  • Families in Need of Services (Jefferson Parish 2011)
  • Churches Supporting Churches (2010)
  • Youth Empowerment Project (2010)
  • Cadence of Arcadia (Baton Rouge 2010)
  • Regional Children Services (New Orleans 2009)
  • Conservation Corps of Greater New Orleans (2009)
  • Emory University (Atlanta 2008)
  • United Church of Christ (Brookfield, MA 2008)
  • Lutheran Social Services of the South (Houston 2007)
  • Communities in Schools (New Orleans 2006, 2007)
  • Louisiana Interreligious Disaster Recovery Network, Youth Roundtable (New Orleans 2007)
  • United Methodist Disaster Response Ministry (Slidell, LA 2006)
  • Tulane University Continuing Education (New Orleans 2006, 2007)

Defense Initiated Victim Outreach

  • Victim Outreach Specialist Training, (New Orleans 2008, 2009)
  • Defense Initiated Victim Outreach Attorney Training, (New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Louisiana 2009)

Mindful Communication

  • Cadence of Arcadia (Baton Rouge 2010)
  • Youth Empowerment Project (2010)
  • Sojourner Truth Academy (2009)
  • Ochsner Hospital (2009, 2010)
  • Recovery School District (2009)
  • Conservation Corps of Greater New Orleans (2009)
  • Juvenile Regional Services (2009)
  • Youth Advocate Program (2008)
  • Americorps (2007)
  • Boat People SOS (2007)

DIRECT SERVICES – examples of direct services are listed below

  • Sojourner Truth Academy-Mindful Communication
  • Orleans Parish Teen Court-circles and conferences
  • Office of the District Attorney of New Orleans, Juvenile Diversion Program-circles
  • Youth Empowerment Project-circles and other resilience activities
  • Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota (Camp Noah)-trauma awareness
  • Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center-circles
  • Orleans Parish Juvenile Courts-victim/offender conferences, family group conferences
  • A.P. Tureaud Elementary School-circles
  • Marion Abramson High School- Mindful Communication and family group conferences
  • Eleanor McMain Secondary School-trauma awareness

PRESENTATIONS – these are examples of brief 1-2 hour explorations of philosophy and practice.

“Introduction to Restorative Discipline” Jefferson Parish Schools, Metairie, LA 22 September 2011

“Building Resilience to Trauma” Each One Save One, New Orleans, LA. 21 May 2011.

“Victim Outreach” Louisiana Public Defenders Conference, Marksville, LA. 12 June 2010.

“Building Resilience to Trauma”  Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana: Kids are Worth It Conference, New Orleans, LA.  3 March 2010.

“Defense Initiated Victim Outreach”  Louisiana Criminal Defense Lawyers Conference, Marksville, LA.  23 July, 2009.

“Youth STAR (Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience)” International Christian Youth Fellowship, Orange, CA.  25, 26 July 2008.

“Trauma Awareness with Teen Leaders” Interfaith Disaster Recovery Summit, Woodworth, LA.  12 September 2006.

“Restorative Justice:  Beyond Punishment”  Louisiana FINS (Families in Need of Services) Conference, Baton Rouge.  13 May 2004.

“Restorative Justice: A Southern Perspective”  Critical Resistance, New Orleans.  5 April 2003.

“Role Playing in Restorative Justice”  National Association for Drama Therapy, Albuquerque.  8 November 2002.

“The Impact of Victim Impact on Incarcerated Youth”  Victim Offender Mediation Association, Ft. Lauderdale.  28 September 2002.

COLLABORATIONS – listed below is a sample of agencies and groups with which TPP has partnered in programs or projects.

  • Georgia State University, Restorative Justice Center
  • Eastern Mennonite University, Center for Justice and Peace
  • Jefferson Parish Juvenile Courts
  • Conservations Corps of Greater New Orleans
  • Bridge City Center for Youth
  • Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana
  • Community United to Reform Education
  • Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition (OPPRC)
  • New Orleans Restorative Justice Alliance
  • United for Peace in New Orleans
  • Orleans Public Defender Office
  • Community In Schools