Restorative Justice Clinic
The Restorative Justice Clinical Program is a unique and innovative suite of experiential learning activities, based at the University of Kent. Launched in January 2023, our mission is to enrich Kent students’ education by providing unique opportunities for personal, cultural and professional development, while supporting local communities through restorative justice services.
The Director of the Program is Dr Giuseppe Maglione, an internationally recognised expert in restorative justice and conflict transformation and an experienced practitioner in restorative justice and mediation.
“Being involved in restorative justice fosters a sense of empowerment and agency.”
Simran Abdullatif Soor, BA Criminology and Sociology (Hons)
Restorative Justice
Restorative justice is an umbrella term which incorporates a variety of practices aiming to prevent conflicts and harms, or to deal with their consequences, through voluntary dialogue and by emphasising accountability, collaboration and reparation.
Restorative justice seeks to modify unbalanced power relations, changing social practices and institutions by promoting a culture of inclusion, dialogue, non-violence and attention to vulnerable individuals and groups.
The Clinical Program’s Structure
The Restorative Justice Clinical Program consists of two interconnected activities:
The optional module Restorative Justice: Theories and Practices SOCI5004 aims to provide students with a critical understanding of restorative justice in theory and practice. The first part of the module (Theories) explores key values, issues and debates in restorative justice set in the context of theoretical arguments and criminal justice policy and practice. The second part of the module (Practices) equips students with hands-on skills to analyse and respond restoratively to micro-social conflicts and harms using a learning-by-doing approach.
Restorative Justice: Theories and Practices SOCI5004 is accredited by the Restorative Justice Council (RJC), the national professional membership body for restorative practice, recognising the quality of the restorative justice education and training provided through the module.
The Restorative Justice Clinic, the first initiative of its kind in the UK, is an extra-curricular module through which students conduct outreach and educational advocacy and engage with real-life cases of conflict and harm under the supervision of the Clinic's Director.
The Restorative Justice Clinic receives referrals from a range of University and external partners, as well as self-referrals from people involved in conflicts and harms or seeking to prevent them. The Director and students assess the suitability of referrals whilst complying with relevant ethical obligations, including confidentiality, voluntariness and safeguarding, and develop an appropriate restorative intervention.
A student's perspective on the RJC summer school
BA Criminology student Charlie Whale talks through the benefits of the Restorative Justice Clinic module.
Contact us
To find out more about the Restorative Justice Clinical Program, make a referral or arrange an appointment, please: Email the Clinic, at rjclinic@kent.ac.uk or the Director, Dr Giuseppe Maglione, at g.maglione@kent.ac.uk.
For enquiries about professional development, CPD courses or bespoke organisational training, please contact Dr Maglione at the same address.
Student involvement in the Restorative Justice Clinic
The Clinic is open to level 5 students. Students are closely supervised. Numbers are limited and applicants are required to have taken the training provided through Restorative Justice: Theories and Practices SOCI5004 or comparable training and experience. Participating students earn Employability Points for the chance to apply for exclusive internships, work placements, training and more.
Students participate in the entire restorative justice process: outreach, analysis of referrals, risk assessment, restorative sessions planning and facilitation, reflective practice meetings, feedback to referrers and follow-up. Collective and one-to-one feedback is provided to support students’ reflective practice.
Students attend regular group discussion sessions led by the Director.
Professional Development and CPD Training
Alongside the Clinical Program, we provide research-informed as well as practice-based professional development and CPD training in restorative justice, conflict transformation and mediation for professionals and organisations.
Our training combines research and theory with experiential, practice-based learning. Courses typically involve case analysis, reflective exercises, communication skills, structured restorative processes, role play and facilitated discussion. Particular attention is given to the ways in which power, inequality, culture and institutional contexts shape experiences of conflict and harm.
Training can be delivered through open courses at the University of Kent or developed as a bespoke programme for organisations following an assessment of their particular needs.
Our professional development activities include:
- Restorative Justice in Practice: Repairing Harm and Rebuilding Relationships – an intensive CPD-accredited practice-based course introducing restorative principles and processes and developing the skills required to analyse and respond restoratively to conflict and harm.
- Conflict Analysis, Resolution and Mediation Skills for Professionals – a CPD-accredited training developing practical approaches to understanding conflict, preventing escalation, navigating power relationships and communicating constructively across disagreement.
- Our annual Restorative Justice Summer Course provides an intensive introduction to restorative justice principles and practices. Through experiential learning and skills practice, participants develop practical tools to understand conflict and harm, communicate restoratively and apply restorative approaches within their own professional contexts.
We have worked with professionals and organisations across education, youth justice, community practice and the voluntary sector, designing training around the particular conflicts, challenges and professional contexts they encounter.
We welcome enquiries from organisations interested in referring a case, collaborating with the Clinic, commissioning bespoke training, or exploring other forms of partnership. To find out about forthcoming courses, discuss bespoke training or explore a collaboration, contact the Director, Dr Giuseppe Maglione, at g.maglione@kent.ac.uk
CPD Participant Testimonials
“There was a real richness to the space, with valuable learning throughout. Thanks again for holding such a thought-provoking and catalysing training experience with us.”
Folkestone Fringe (2026) [Conflict Analysis]
“The opportunity to practise using real-life scenarios was incredibly useful.”
KRAN Youth Ambassador (2026) [Conflict Analysis]
“Thank you for the fantastic two days you shared with us. Staff are still talking about it as 'the best start-of-year professional development we've had in a long time'. I cannot thank you enough.”
Halcyon School (2026) [Restorative Justice]
“We thoroughly enjoyed the training and found it very insightful and useful. Many thanks for your time.”
Kent Students' Union Advice Centre (2025) [Restorative Justice]
“Thank you again; the staff really enjoyed the session and it has already prompted some interesting discussions.”
Godwin Academy (2026) [Restorative Justice]
“Thank you so much for the session yesterday, the feedback was incredibly positive.”
KRAN Manager (2026) [Conflict Analysis]
“Thank you!! It was wonderful to participate.”
Summer Course participant (2026) [Restorative Justice]
“I have appreciated the opportunity to expand my knowledge as well as being able to take this course away and apply it to my studies. Thank you for taking your time to teach this course. I really appreciate it!”
Summer Course participant (2026) [Restorative Justice]
“Thanks so much for delivering an insightful training course. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Summer Course participant (2026) [Restorative Justice]