FORESEE

Foresee Research Group uses restorative principles and approaches (dialogue processes and encounters) to prevent escalation of conflict. They work on the prevention level at local schools, working with teachers and parents training them on open non-violent communication. Furthermore, Foresee has restorative pro-jects in prison, to work on “in cell” and “staff-inmate” conflicts. They empower prisoners, talk about what conflict is, how to express themselves and teach them how to deal with anger. With regard to the method, Foresee applies a range of techniques flexibly, such as mediation, conferencing, peace-making circles, family group conferencing, facilitated discussions and one-to-one restorative dialogues.

The main projects of Foresee include:

• Mediation and Restorative Justice in Prison (2009-2012).
• Peace-making Circles in Europe (2011-2013).
• REDICT - Resolving Disputes in Twenty-first Century (2011-2013).

ALTERNATIVE – Developing alternative understandings of security and justice through restorative justice approaches in intercultural settings within democratic societies (2012-2016).

Foresee’s multi-agency team of researchers and facilitators work with disadvantaged groups, local communities, schools, NGOs, as well as practitioners and policy makers in areas of criminal justice (victims, offenders, probation, prison), social welfare and education. A particularly promising aspect of Foresee’s approach is its being safely anchored in the well-established restorative justice methodology and that it adapts and further develops them into the prevention work against hate crime and extremism. Foresee has recently finished its pilot project on mediation and restorative justice in prison, working with inmates, families, victims, as well as staff and generally explores new methodologies that are suitable to issues of hate crime, extremism, and for de-radicalisation interventions. Foresee is conducting different action research projects – within which conflict resolution practices (incl. trainings) based on the restorative justice approach are also provided – in community level conflicts (in villages, smaller localities), in schools and juvenile homes as well as in the criminal justice and prison context. Throughout these projects – amongst other types of conflicts – Foresee faces the issues of stereotypes, prejudices, aggressive attitude, non-understanding, anti-tolerance etc. that are, on the one hand, roots of aggressive behaviour motivated by violent and hateful ideas/thoughts. However, they are also symptoms of other, underlying social problems that also need to be addressed.

Contact details:

H-1092 Budapest
Bakáts tér 3
Hungary

Dr Borbála Fellegi, Executive Director
Email: borbala.fellegi@foresee.hu 
Tel: (+36) (70) 365 0630