Surprise awards for the Restorative Hub and Community Peer Mentors The Restorative Hub and Community Peer Mentors were surprised to be presented with Community Pride Awards from Aaron Jack, 23, in a bid to give something back to the service that helped him change his life. Aaron turned his life around with the help of a Community Peer Mentor after long-running issues with a neighbour left him suicidal and vulnerable. He said: “My mentor saved my life and I don’t think volunteers working in the community get enough recognition – they are integral to so many organisations - I’d love people to nominate anyone they think should receive an award.” Jim Cunningham, who leads the Community Peer Mentor initiative, said: “I wasn’t expecting this, it was a lovely surprise, but the nicest thing is having watched Aaron grow and change. “This is down to his hard work and the great thing about this project is that we are there to encourage and empower people like him.” Also receiving awards were Sally Forth and Andrew Hancock from the town’s Restorative Hub which works to address community disputes and facilitate mediation between offenders and their victims. Andrew said: “I’m quite overwhelmed by it, I’ve known Aaron for a long time and am pleased to see him doing so well. “Seeing him start his own organisation is so inspiring, especially knowing it will make such a big contribution to the community.”
A victim's feedback about Restorative Justice... "Restorative Justice gave me and my family the opportunity to say so much more than what was stolen and whether we could describe our items or if we had a serial number to hand. It provided a space in the Criminal Justice process to really explain how the crime against us impacted on our lives. Fundamentally it provided answers that would be otherwise impractical to capture in any other way. My experience of the Restorative Justice process was that it was flexible to what I wanted to say and how I said it. On reflection I can say it provided resolution and alleviated fear. I sincerely wish to formally thank the Restorative Justice Team for their efforts and professionalism in how I was treated and the answers they provided to me." If you have been through Restorative Justice and want to tell your story or would just like more information please visit: www.restorativehub.org.uk or call: 0300 003 1818
Did you know?
Baroness Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner, visited County Durham and Darlington on 6th March, and spoke to victims of crime supported by specialist services appointed by Ron. Find out more at: www.durham-pcc.gov.uk Aaron Jack presenting Jim Cunningham with his award
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