Our mission and our approach
The encounter at the heart of our commitment and practices
Repairing the future together means creating bridges of dialogue, listening, and recognition where bonds have been broken. Our mission and approach are based on a humanistic vision of justice, attentive to individuals, relationships, and communities.
Our mission
Creating bridges
Creating bridges of expression, listening, and sharing between individuals and/or groups who have been affected by situations of abuse and violence, whether or not they have gone through the justice system.
Our purpose
Repairing the future together
Repairing the human network, through improbable encounters, where bonds of trust have been broken.
Our philosophy
The encounter at the heart of repair
We believe that an encounter, when experienced within a safe, respectful, and voluntary framework, can open paths to repair where bonds of trust have been broken. By recognizing the dignity of each person and the complexity of human journeys, we rely on dialogue, accountability, and relationship as levers for individual and collective transformation.
Our values
What guides our choices and relationships
Respect
Translated by the recognition of the dignity and value of every person, consideration for their rights and opinions, and relationships and communications imbued with kindness.
Listening
Consists of paying genuine and available attention to the words, actions, and needs of individuals, in order to foster dialogue, sharing, and attentive support for individual and collective journeys.
Trust
Relies on the belief in the value and capacity of individuals to take responsibility and engage, at their own pace, in processes of repair, resilience, and reclaiming power over their lives.
Inclusion
Translated by the equitable welcoming of people with diverse identities and life experiences, in the conviction that this diversity is a strength and that respectful living together can be built.
Our approach
Restorative justice in action
Passerelles de justice réparatrice is recognized by the governments of Quebec and Canada. Our services are offered in correctional and community settings, independently and complementarily to the justice system. They contribute to the healing of wounds, the sense of having a place in society, and social transformation.
Our theory of change
A structured vision of desired outcomes
Our theory of change is based on a structured vision of the links between our actions, the immediate effects they produce, and the longer-term transformations observed. It highlights the impact of our encounter and dialogue processes on individuals, relationships, and the social fabric.
Confidentiality and ethics
A safe framework at the heart of our practices
Our practices are grounded in a clear ethical framework based on respect for human dignity, the protection of individuals, accountability, and voluntarism. Confidentiality is governed by a formal commitment from all participating individuals to foster the climate of trust necessary for dialogue.
Our policies
A clear framework for acting responsibly
To ensure practices that are respectful, safe, and consistent with our values, we have adopted several policies and reference frameworks. They guide our actions, relationships, and governance, and reflect our commitment to individuals, communities, and our partners.
Contact us for details on our policies
The actions of Passerelles de justice réparatrice are based on 7 foundations
Humanist approach
The fundamental principles of the humanist approach
Active participation
The active participation of community members
Engagement of volunteers
The engagement of trained and supported volunteers
Mentorship and co-development
The approach of mentorship and co-development in strengthening support capacities and empowerment
Creativity
Creativity in its service offering and intervention methods, with a focus on innovation and responses adapted to needs
Continuum of services
The offering of a service continuum including welcoming, assisting, and directing people before, during, and after restorative justice encounters, as well as offering complementary support and expression workshops
Collaboration and partnership
Collaboration and partnership, both for the referral, delivery, and deployment of services, and for raising awareness of restorative justice
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the mission of Passerelles de justice réparatrice for?
The mission of Passerelles de justice réparatrice is intended for individuals and groups affected by situations of abuse or violence, whether or not they have gone through the justice system. It concerns both directly affected individuals (direct or indirect victims—family, neighbors, friends, etc.), those who have committed acts that caused harm, as well as members of the communities involved, from a perspective of dialogue, recognition, and repair.
How is your approach complementary to the justice system?
Restorative justice can be experienced in a subsidiary way when a judicial process is not possible or unwanted, and in a complementary way when a judicial process takes place. In some cases, needs for repair may persist after a judicial journey. By allowing individuals to be recognized in their lived experience and in the consequences of violence, and to ask questions, restorative justice supports both the victim and the offender in their journey toward repair by offering a safe space for dialogue.
How do you guarantee a safe framework?
The safe framework relies on the training and supervision of the people who facilitate our services. They act as guarantors of the ethical framework, confidentiality, and the smooth running of the processes. We adopt a caring, respectful, and authentic approach, providing support before, during, and after the services.
The safe framework is based on evaluating individuals' capacity to participate, a participation and confidentiality agreement, the presence of social and/or professional support, the preparation of the process with each participant, and accompaniment for the facilitators during and after the processes as needed.
How does your ethical framework support repair processes?
Our organization has a code of ethics to which the facilitators of our encounters commit. It ensures that we act responsibly, intelligently, and sensitively, so as not to cause further harm to any party. The purpose of this code of ethics is to define the main rules of conduct expected from all facilitators involved within Passerelles de justice réparatrice.
Adherence to this code of ethics aims to implement the values of respect, listening, trust, and inclusion toward anyone seeking the services of Passerelles de justice réparatrice. Facilitators commit in particular to respecting principles of self-determination, impartiality, confidentiality, integrity and transparency, collaboration, respectful and inclusive conduct, and caring support.
Discover the effects of our actions
See how our mission and approach produce real effects for individuals, relationships, and communities.