From Complaints to Repair: Racism and Restorative Practice

How can we implement restorative repair processes that support recovery, accountability and learning when it comes to racism, discrimination and bullying?

Racism, discrimination and social safety in organisations, schools and communities remain pressing issues. Yet one of the most critical protection mechanisms – the complaints or grievance system – remains incomplete. When experiences of racism, discrimination or bullying are channelled through inadequate processes, harm often deepens rather than resolves. Research shows impact such as fear, isolation, shame, burnout, trauma disengagement, and silence, which undermines safety, learning and work. This session explores the impact of racism, discrimination, and bullying. It focuses on why grievance systems must go beyond procedure & liability and move toward repair, restoration, and recovery. This approach is also grounded in legal duties under ARBO, and international labour standards as well as aligned recommendations from National Coordinator Racism and Discrimination and Amsterdam Ombudsman who also advance restorative, non-retaliatory approaches that support accountability, healing, and organisational learning. This session will share a dual-track approach with immediate support and validation, paired with restorative repair that enables recovery, learning and accountability.

Together with Geraldine Moodley International human rights lawyer, adviser, trainer & dialogue facilitator Cindy Fleur Host | Cultural Strategist - Founder The Business of Culture Tania Shoukair Somatic Coach and writer Katie Ireland Flourishing Coaching | Founder Re-Humanise.com David Moore Australian Association for Restorative Justice Alikki Vernon Australian Association for Restorative Justice Olivia Ericson Communications Design

Additional information event:

We have a limited number of seats available and invite those committed to strengthening social safety and implementing alternative approaches to conflict and complaints in their organisations, whether in public institutions, schools, NGOs or companies. This evening is not focused on sharing personal testimonies, but on the impact of racism and harm on individuals that prompts further action, and how complaints can move from adversarial procedure toward restorative repair and organisational learning. As we will address sensitive stressors, the session will include brief musical interludes to support regulation and grounding.

About the speaker

Geraldine Moodley brings domain specialisation from her work fields – anchored in systems shifting, interest-based negotiation and transforming conflict can be applied across organisations, schools, and public systems as inclusive governance. Her work demonstrates how restorative dialogue and practices can offer real alternatives where conventional complaints systems fail. She is joined by somatic coaches, understanding systemic impacts on mind and body. She is supported by collaborators on impact strategy and communications. Grounding the session in trauma-aware recovery, she uses techniques throughout. She also invites restorative justice colleagues from the Australian Association for Restorative Justice, contributing international practice-based perspectives for workplace conflicts.