The Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices (LAIRP) is an organization dedicated to promoting and implementing restorative practices in schools, communities, and organizations. These practices are designed to build relationships, foster a sense of belonging, and address conflicts or harm through dialogue and mutual understanding. Fostering more supportive and sustainable environments in both educational and community settings allows those in the organization to thrive.
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The Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices outlines a four-tier model to help schools build restorative, relationship-centered cultures.
LAIRP's for teachers support in building capcity, community, and cohesion as schools transition towards becoming a right-brain restorative organization. Tier I, Building, focuses on creating psychological safety and trust. Tier II, Connecting, deepens this foundation by fostering participation and shared purpose. Tier III, Relating, emphasizes authentic relationships, empathy, and restorative responses to conflict. Finally, Tier IV, Transforming, embeds these practices into leadership and decision-making for lasting cultural change. Each tier builds on the last, guiding schools toward meaningful, systemic transformation through right-brain restorative practices.
School systems are progressively shifting toward the idea of relationship-building and social-emotional awareness as essential pathways to academic success. These efforts nurture a strong student growth mindset and help create robust institutions where character development and resilience can thrive. Furthermore, a culture of connectedness is cultivated, profoundly shaping the daily school climate and supporting long-term well-being. Unfortunately, recent events—such as school shootings, rising mental health crises, and increased incidents of bullying—have instilled fear in many youth, causing them to view school as unsafe. This mindset activates stress responses, often exacerbating behaviors. Right Brain Restorative Practices (RBRP) provide schools tools for growth, regulation, and emotional awareness.
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