What is Stone Soup?

The Stone Soup Project is a community-led initiative to foster sustainable

restorative justice practices

in the 6th Municipal District to reduce delinquency and increase positive youth development.

How can we build on our collective strengths

What is the need in our communities?
The Markham Judicial Court is the most overburdened juvenile court in Cook County. It costs taxpayers $85,000 annually to house a single youth in secure facilities.

to create a restorative community?

What is restorative justice?
Restorative justice is an evidence-based philosophy that holds young people accountable when harm is done by giving them an opportunity to make peace with both the victim and community. It reduces re-offending, increases victim healing, restores community safety, and is cost-effective. Restorative justice creates opportunities for a level of engagement in both schools and communities that does not otherwise typically happen. Through restorative practices, communities can embrace all youth, rebuild relationships, and repair harm.

What can Stone Soup achieve?

Implementation and sustainment of this initiative will reduce the damaging effects of incarceration on youth, their families, and their communities while promoting community-driven, cost-effective policies to prevent and reduce delinquency and violence in Cook Countys south suburbs, which have been identified by the Urban League as the area most affected by disproportionate minority confinement (Urban League, 2010).

Whats unique about Stone Soup?

Stone Soup is not a single programmatic solution. It is a process for engaging south suburban community members in creating and sustaining restorative justice practices in their communities.

Why Stone Soup?

The work were doing in the 6th District reminds us of the story of Stone Soup and its moral that, when we work together, especially in a time of scarce resources, we can create something wonderful and nourishing for all! Read the story on page 2

Phase One
Phase One of Stone Soup begins with broad stakeholder engagement across the 6th Municipal District to assist communities in developing their application for involvement as a community partner. The application activities will enhance communities ability to (1) identify and build on community strengths, and (2) lead, convene, and engage stakeholders in co-creating a plan for restorative justice in their community. The result of Phase One will be the identification of pilot communities.

Phase Two
In Phase Two, selected community partners receive training and support in creating sustainable restorative solutions and share their learning to promote anticipated expansion into other communities. Community-level core teams will develop the capacity to lead community change efforts through the Art of Hosting Conversations That Matter. They will then share their learning across the 6th District.

Phase Two Supports for Community Partners

Restorative Justice training and technical assistance Follow-up Art of Hosting training and technical assistance Support for leading, convening, and engaging stakeholders in community-level planning Stone Soup Community of Practice gatherings and phone calls Stone Soup Assessment

Phase One Application Activities

Community partner applicants are required to participate in these activities as part of the application process. However, these activities are also open to anyone who is interested in fostering sustainable restorative justice practices in their 6th District community independent of Stone Soup.
Appreciative Interviews: Sharing Stories to Identify Community Strengths (Part 1)

Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 9am-noon

Appreciative Interviews: Sharing Stories to Identify Community Strengths (Part 2)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 6-9pm

Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter Retreat (an approach to community leadership and collaboration)
Some hungry travelers came to a village, asking for food. But the villagers would not share their food with the travelers, for times were difficult. So the travelers went to the center of the village, created a fire, and started boiling water in a large pot. One of the villagers became curious and asked what they were doing. The travelers answered, We are making stone soup, which always tastes wonderful... but stone soup with cabbagethats hard to beat! The villager was willing to share just a bit of cabbage to help them out, so it was added to the soup. Other villagers became curious, and the travelers again mentioned that their stone soup had not yet reached its full potential: Perhaps a potato More and more villagers joined in, and so it went, adding potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and even a bit of beef, until a delicious and nourishing pot of soup was enjoyed by all through the magic of Stone Soup!

June 4-6, 2012 at 8am-5pm

Community-specific conversations to complete the Stone Soup application (facilitation support available)

**Everyone living or working in the 6th Municipal District is invited to participate in Phase One.

Application Process
Inform IBARJ of your intention to apply to be a community partner by April 9th Organize a community-level team of representatives to attend the application activities listed above Attend the application activities Complete an application form with representatives from your community Community partners will be identified in mid-June. Community partner selection will be based on the following criteria: A diverse core team of restorative justice champions representing significant cross-sector team commitment has been chosen. A community vision for sustainable restorative justice has been established. Community strengths that will foster sustainable restorative justice have been identified. Resources for contributing to Stone Soup have been identified and/or secured. Participation in Stone Soup application activities by a majority of core team members will be a clear indication of the teams readiness and commitment to serve as a community partner. For more details about the criteria and the application process, see the Stone Soup Application Form.

Connect with Stone Soup

Use these resources to:
stay up-to-date with Stone Soup ask questions and share ideas connect with your community members

facebook
facebook.com/stonesoupproject

twitter
@StoneSoup_SS

ibarj.org
Illinois Balanced and Restorative Justice Project

sallywolf@ibarj.org
Sally Wolf Executive Director 217.714.8864

sarab@ibarj.org
Sara Balgoyen Operations Manager 217.379.4939

Foundation funding from United Methodist Church Mt. Greenwood, Inc. 3