Tier 1 Circle Keeper Training Certification
18 Hours | 6 Weeks | September 3 – October 8
The Tier 1 Circle Keeper Certification Training is a foundational course for people who want to facilitate proactive restorative circles that strengthen connection, belonging, trust, and shared responsibility within their communities or organizations.
Designed for educators, community leaders, nonprofit and residential program staff, faith and community organizers, and restorative practitioners, this training prepares participants to design and facilitate Tier 1 circles with clarity, confidence, and care. Tier 1 circles are proactive, community-building practices used to cultivate relationships, establish shared norms, support reflection, strengthen communication, and build restorative culture before conflict escalates.
Over six weeks, participants will explore the foundations of restorative justice, the role of circles in community-building, trauma-informed and accessible facilitation practices, basic neurobiology of safety and connection, and the practical skills needed to plan and keep circles. The training emphasizes embodied presence, intentional design, strong facilitation structure, thoughtful prompts, inclusive participation, and the circle keeper’s responsibility to create conditions for dignity, voice, belonging, and accountability.
This certification is focused on Tier 1 circle-keeping only. It does not certify participants to facilitate Tier 2 or Tier 3 harm-repair processes, restorative mediation, high-conflict dialogue, victim-offender dialogue, serious accountability conferencing, or trainer-level instruction. Participants will leave prepared to facilitate low-risk, proactive circles within a clearly defined scope of practice.
Successful completion includes participation in the full 18-hour training and a capstone assessment demonstrating circle keeper proficiency. The capstone is designed to assess readiness, not perfection. Participants will demonstrate their ability to design a Tier 1 circle, explain their facilitation choices, use restorative circle structure, craft meaningful prompts, support participation, and reflect on their role as a circle keeper.
Program Format
- Length: 18 instructional hours over 6 weeks
- Format: Live online training with experiential practice, reflection, discussion, and skills-based learning
- Credential: Tier 1 Circle Keeper Certification
- Completion Requirement: Attendance, participation, and successful completion of capstone proficiency assessment
Schedule
September 2 – October 7 (6 weeks)
Core Training Areas
- Restorative Justice Foundations
- Restorative Presence & Circle Keeper Presence
- Neurobiology, Safety & Connection
- Indigenous ethos of Circle practice (https://livingjusticepress.org/about-circles)
- Medicine Wheel teachings (with permission of First Nations elders to share teachings)
- Circle Design & Structure
- Facilitation Skills & Inclusive Participation
- Application & Implementation
Capstone Proficiency Assessment
To complete certification, participants will complete a capstone assessment demonstrating proficiency as a Tier 1 circle keeper. The capstone will assess the participant’s ability to:
- Design an appropriate Tier 1 circle
- Prepare a clear opening, agreement, prompts, and closing
- Build trust among participants
- Facilitate with grounded presence and clear structure
- Support participation, accessibility, and belonging
- Reflect on their role, choices, strengths, and growth areas as a circle keeper
Certification is awarded when the participant demonstrates readiness to facilitate Tier 1 restorative circles within the approved scope of practice.
Learning Outcomes
Participants who successfully complete this certification will be prepared to:
- Explain the purpose and principles of Tier 1 restorative circles
- Facilitate proactive community-building circles within a defined scope of practice
- Design circles that support belonging, connection, reflection, and shared responsibility
- Use restorative presence, pacing, and structure to support group participation
- Apply basic neurobiology and trauma-informed principles to circle keeping
- Create accessible and inclusive participation environments
- Craft meaningful prompts aligned with circle goals
- Recognize appropriate and inappropriate uses of Tier 1 circles
- Reflect on their role, limits, strengths, and growth areas as circle keepers
- Implement Tier 1 circle practices in schools, organizations, programs, and communities
Scope of Certification
Participants who successfully complete the training and capstone assessment will be certified by RJI as Tier 1 Circle Keepers. This certification authorizes participants to facilitate Tier 1 proactive restorative circles, including:
- Community-building circles
- Connection and belonging circles
- Classroom, advisory, team, staff, or community reflection circles
- Shared agreement and norm-building circles
- Low-risk circles designed to strengthen relationships and restorative culture
This certification does not authorize participants to facilitate:
- Formal harm-repair processes
- Restorative mediation
- High-conflict dialogue
- Victim-offender dialogue
- Serious accountability conferencing
- Abuse-related, coercive, or safety-sensitive cases
- Trainer-level instruction or certification of other circle keepers
Included Materials
Participants receive circle-keeping resources to support continued practice, which may include sample circle outlines, planning templates, prompt banks, reflection tools, observation or feedback forms, implementation guidance, and materials for designing Tier 1 circles in their own context.
Meet Your Instructor
Roy Karp is a dynamic educator and restorative practitioner with more than twenty years of experience supporting schools, youth-serving organizations, and mission-driven nonprofits. His work focuses on helping communities strengthen relationships, build trust, navigate conflict, and create cultures characterized by belonging, accountability, and shared leadership.
Roy has served as a teacher, curriculum writer, school leader, youth development professional, trainer, and coach. He previously led UTEC’s Alternative Diploma Program, where he helped build a community-based high school serving young people facing significant barriers to success. He has also worked with public schools, education collaboratives, and alternative education programs to implement restorative practices, develop student leadership, and support positive school culture.
Most recently, Roy served as Restorative Practices and Student Leadership Development Specialist for Watertown Public Schools and as a trainer and coach with the Center for Restorative Justice. Through these roles, he has trained educators, school leaders, and youth workers in restorative approaches that foster connection, engagement, accountability, and belonging.
In addition to his professional experience, Roy brings the perspective of a parent of a neurodiverse middle school student. This experience has deepened his commitment to creating inclusive learning environments that honor diverse strengths, support authentic participation, and ensure that all young people feel seen, valued, and connected.
Training Cost & Equity
We are committed to making our trainings accessible to community workers, educators, and others with limited financial resources. If this applies to you, you may enter the code RESTORE at checkout to receive a 25% scholarship.