"Change the System So That Restorative Justice Becomes Part of Our Everyday Life"

On 21 June, at the 2023 Annual General Meeting of the EFRJ, it was announced that Lucy Jaffé is a co-opted by the EFRJ Board as a new Board Member, after Tim Chapman's leave. This is her speech presented the at the Annual General Meeting. 

Thank you for co-opting me to the Board today.

Why have I put myself forward for this important leadership position?

The world we live in feels fragile as we have war in Ukraine, large scale migration, climate change, poverty and many injustices. At times it feels overwhelming and hostile and I wonder what can I do?

I believe that people have the potential to live better lives in a respectful way which enhances the well-being and fulfilment of everyone.

How can we do this? Restorative justice offers a different lens and way of being in the world and with each other. It equips us to deal with conflict, to ask 'what is it that we want to be known?' and to have the bravery to ask someone, 'would you like to have a conversation with me?'

I offer to the Board and EFRJ membership, my experience of building up Why me? to be a leading restorative justice non-governmental organisation in the UK over the last 12 years. We combine policy, communications and delivery to promote and demonstrate the power and potential of Restorative justice.  From a very young age, I learnt the values underpinning Restorative justice even though I did not know that at the time. I sat in a circle in the middle of the Welsh countryside with everyone on my children's camp, including the leaders. We all had equal voice and I had as much opportunity to say something as did the elder, but I also learnt how to listen if it was not my turn. The other important and perhaps more complex concept was inclusion. We did not start the circle until it was complete. So if a child was up a tree, we waited for them to come down and join us. 

I offer my leadership experience and knowledge, particularly in respect to striving for intersectional and cross-country equity; fundraising experience; and a strong motivation to change the system so that restorative justice becomes part of our everyday life and every child can benefit, like I did.