A Paradigm Shift, the Empowering Restorative Engagement (ERE) Milieu Program

The Empowering Restorative Engagement Model (ERE) is a philosophy shift and change in the day-to-day work with youth and families in a residential intervention setting. The comprehensive model is a guide in which we interact and help youth and families learn the necessary skills to manage their own feelings and behaviors. Creating and maintaining safety is important in the residential group environment (the milieu); if youth and staff feel safe it creates a learning environment in which one can heal.

The Nexus Family Healing ERE residential model is based on trauma informed work in youth and family engagement, establishing healthy relationships, assessing the needs of the youth, building skills, teaching emotional regulation, and using restorative approaches in allowing youth to learn from their mistakes. It is an approach that is based in a set of beliefs and philosophies, while it is also a model that outlines a very specific and subscribed way of managing and supporting a youth’s challenging behavior within a residential living environment.