Seeing the Girl Through Community Collaboration
by Guest blogger, Sakenia Washington
The Grand Park Career Center (GPCC) is considered by many as the last opportunity for “troubled” youth experiencing behavioral challenges in Duval County Public Schools to meet their educational needs. Students are assigned through the district’s Hearing Office and must complete 45, 90, or 180 days for violating the district’s Student Code of Conduct. The Center offers several wraparound services designed to address the needs of students.
One of these services includes a new collaborative initiative between The Policy Center’s See the Girl in the Community Program and The Center For Children’s Rights. This partnership uses both program models to facilitate restorative group circles for “high conflict” girls with a focus on listening to understand and assist with exploring alternatives to physical aggression to address conflict.
Girls are referred to connect with by the school’s Behavior Interventionist, who works with students to develop healthier behavioral functioning. Small groups, usually about 6 girls connect with us to have discussions and activities designed to foster healthier peer connection and develop emotion regulation and conflict resolution skills using a girl-centered approach. Our goal is to stop the cycles of trauma and harmful system interactions to prevent initial or deeper justice system involvement. Our goal is to embody our motto and see them for their true potential, not their present circumstance.
Now, all of my peers know I enjoy working with the girls often deemed as the most challenging to work with, especially those “high conflict” girls. I call them my “Little Caesar” girls because they remain “hot & ready” to fight in response to perceived threats. Where many see them as “bad” or “lost causes”, I see them as bold and courageous with a keen sense of justice who use only one tool from their toolbox in an attempt to fix their problems. The restorative group circle provides a safe space where these girls can be their bold and courageous selves and discover additional tools for use in addressing their challenges.
It is an honor to work with Addison Simms, Restorative Community Catalyst with the Center For Children’s Rights in this work. Partnership and collaboration is the vehicle that drives positive change. I am grateful and privileged to have the opportunity to be one of the drivers in paving the way for girls to harness their power and utilize it ways unimaged. May we embody the fighting spirit demonstrated by these girls in cultivating safe and healing spaces for all girls.
