With support from the California Arts Council, Community Works West will provide Restorative Justice arts workshops and talking circles for individuals, ages 18-25, who are returning to the community following incarceration in Alameda County. The project supports participants as they transition out of incarceration by providing a safe space to build community, focus on healing through creative expression, encourage leadership skills, and reinforce positive civic engagement through the arts.
Community Works West is the premiere provider of restorative justice programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, launching in 1997 with the first restorative justice program in a county jail and the first pre-charge diversion program for youth in San Francisco and Alameda counties. Our restorative justice, arts, and human service programs include anti-violence, job readiness, batterers’ intervention, and family-strengthening services for individuals, families, and communities affected by incarceration. Our restorative arts programs provide a safe and creative space for individuals to overcome the trauma of incarceration.

