Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 23/02) - The restitution program at J.H. Sissons school could become a territorial model if a sizable grant from the Crime Prevention Centre in Ottawa is approved.

Yellowknife Education District No.1 superintendent Dr. Judith Knapp said the district is keeping its fingers crossed the $1-million-plus grant will be approved. The district applied for the money last July.

A decision should be made known "within a few weeks," says Knapp.

The grant would provide funding over a five-year period and allow the program to expand to 10 other communities across Nunavut and the NWT.

The restitution program, though in use in other Canadian jurisdictions for 25 years, was only implemented at Sissons three-and-a-half years ago.

Restitution focuses on identifying the reasons for bad behaviour, and helping the student come to terms with them on their own, rather than the traditional model of punishment.

"We believe that it's OK to make mistakes, that's how we learn," says program co-ordinator Lynn Taylor at J.H. Sissons. "The important thing is fixing it, and making things right. First with yourself, and then the other party."

Two students involved in a school yard fight, for example, are allowed to calm down before any discussion about it takes place. Afterwards, the students are asked why they acted the way they did, and then asked if there might have been a better way to deal with their anger. They are also encouraged to look at it through the perspective of the other student involved.

Since its implementation, there has been a sharp decline in students making trips to the principal's office, says Taylor.

The program is currently funded through various government initiatives, including the GNWT Department of Justice, and the Community Mobilization program.

Over the last two years, it received $143,000 in funding, and now offers program support and training to several other community organizations and non-governmental bodies, such as the Salvation Army, Alison McAteer house, and NWT Status of Women Council.

Restitution workshops for teachers, youth workers and counsellors, will be held at the school from Feb. 4-5, and Feb. 10-13.