Interested in being a Restorative Justice volunteer?
The Barre Community Justice Center is looking for volunteers to join our Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) Program.
What is COSA and what does a COSA volunteer do? Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) is the central component of our Restorative Reentry program for individuals returning home from incarceration. COSAs consist of small teams of 3 or more volunteers, the Core Member (offender), and the Reentry Coordinator (staff) that meet for 1 hour each week to provide support and accountability for successful re-entry. Each COSA is unique but the goals remain the same; no more crimes and no more victims. COSA volunteers support a Core Members as they transition back into their community by acting as guides or mentors as the Core Member navigates the challenges of reentry. The COSA meetings are about storytelling, sharing knowledge and/or skills, and building a supportive relationship with the Core Member. This program has a proven track record in lowering recidivism (re-offending); thus, making the community safer and keeping people from being re-incarcerated.
We are actively recruiting volunteers for an upcoming training in Barre; pre-registration is required. We currently have a need for at least 6 new volunteers as our demand exceeds our volunteer capacity to provide COSA teams for those returning from incarceration.
We will be hosting a volunteer info session for anyone interested on April 10th and April 24th from 5-6pm at our office located at 30 Keith Ave. Please RSVP that you are planning to attend and which date you will be attending to rstevenson@barrecjc.org or call 476-0276 to find out how you can become a member of a COSA team!
Another way to learn more about COSAs, is to watch Bess O'Brien's documentary, Coming Home, about the Vermont COSA program. It is highly encouraged that you view the film prior to volunteer info session and/or COSA Volunteer Training. You can watch the documentary for free at: https://vimeo.com/268889999 the password is cosa.
For more information about the Barre Community Justice Center you can visit our website at https://www.barrecjc.org/
The mission of a COSA is to enhance community safety and repair relationships by supporting Core Members to successfully rejoin the community and commit no further offenses
Please feel free to pass this post along to friends in other surrounding communities that may be interested.
Warmly,
Ryan Stevenson
Reentry COSA Coordinator
Barre Community Justice Center
802-476-0276
rstevenson@barrecjc.org
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