What is Restore Respect?
Restore Respect is a restorative programme available for students who have been harmed by incidents they feel were motivated by identity-based prejudice. These types of incidents are sometimes referred to as ‘hate incidents’ or ‘hate crime’. The programme brings the student impacted and the student responsible into communication. The students involved can then discuss and contribute to a positive way towards repairing the harm. The students are supported to work together to improve their mutual understanding of an issue and jointly reach the best available solution.
Restore Respect is entirely voluntary and anyone who reports in can choose to engage as much or as little as they want. The programme is separate from the University’s formal disciplinary process (if students are interested in the formal disciplinary process, information would also be available for that process).
How can students access the Restore Respect programme?
If students would like to explore Restore Respect, they can disclose hate incidents or hate crime via Report + Support, with contact details for an advisor to get in contact to talk through all the available options. If a student says they are interested in the Restore Respect programme, they will receive information about the different talking approaches that will be available.
What can I expect from the Restore Respect programme?
If you disclose a hate incident via Report + Support and provide contact details, an advisor will make contact to have an initial conversation about what has happened. If you decide to participate in Restore Respect the advisor will then arrange for you to meet with one of the programme’s specially trained practitioners. There are a range of options and each will be described at this meeting. The practitioner is there to listen carefully and support you in your decisions. Your participation is completely voluntary and you can withdraw from the process at any time.