Grace Spencer

Grace Spencer

Grace Spencer co-leads a youth ministry at Neighborhood Church, a church plant in downtown Fresno that is uniquely engaged in their surrounding community. Her youth ministry model is creative and reflects the CCDA principles. Grace is a student in the M.Div. program at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, is passionate about conflict resolution, and also works as a restorative justice mediator for juvenile offenders.

Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice: A Vital Skill for City Work

Since 1982, the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) has been bringing victims, offenders, and involved community members face-to-face to restore wholeness to those affected by crime. Through our restorative justice process, the injustice is recognized and made as right as possible, trust is rebuilt, and the relationship restored. The process holds offenders accountable for their actions, providing them an opportunity to hear how their actions affected others. It also empowers victims, offering them a voice as the parties decide how the offender can rebuild trust, restore equity, and implement necessary changes to ensure a better future. Once the parties reach an agreement, mediators follow up with victims and offenders to confirm that the agreement has been met to the victim’s satisfaction.

Grace SpencerConflict Resolution and Restorative Justice: A Vital Skill for City Work
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