Virtual Circles of Support and Accountability Canada (Virtual CoSA) supports individuals who have been convicted of sexual offences as they reintegrate into the community. Virtual CoSA volunteers will attend weekly virtual meetings (about 1 hour per week). This involves role-modelling pro-social behaviour, active listening, helping the individual access appropriate resources, celebrating all the successes during the reintegration period, and creating an environment of trust where the Core Member is equipped to make healthy choices and live out their commitment to a non-offending future. Please email Sheila at sheilavdhc@cosacanada.com with a short bio and a paragraph explaining why you would like to volunteer with Virtual CoSA.Â
Volunteer with us!

Contact
Joy Steem
​
Sheila van den Heuvel-Collins
​
Virtual Circles of Support and Accountability
PO Box 40017
RPO Charlotte
Peterborough, ON
K9J 8R9
782.409.5030
Public Safety Canada has granted Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) Canada funding for a two-year project exploring virtual Circles. The purpose of this project is three-fold: 1) to broaden the availability of Circles to Core Members who do not live in areas where in-person Circles are accessible, 2) to work with CoSA sites to shorten Circle wait-lists, and 3) to recruit, train and supervise new and under-utilized volunteers across the country.
Since its Canadian beginning in 1994, CoSA has been grounded in restorative justice principles and has reduced sexual victimization by assisting people who have committed sexual offences to lead responsible, constructive and accountable lives in their communities. Using evidence-based best practices, CoSA has been shown to significantly reduce recidivism, thereby effectively contributing to safer communities. In fact, nearly thirty studies in various countries have demonstrated CoSA's effectiveness. In 2018, a Minnesota study demonstrated that participation in CoSA decreased the overall risk of arrest by up to 88% and reduced general recidivism by 49-57%.
Many remote communities not only cannot sustain a local CoSA site but may also have challenges in mobilizing sufficient volunteers to provide Circles. This project will require the development of a national leadership training program that is able to recruit volunteers from any community in Canada.This project seeks to collaborate with established sites in order to identify and incorporate effective strategies for Circles in our ever-evolving technological landscape, increase the presence of CoSA across the country, and enhance our combined capacity through shared resources. This project will develop a consistent model for Virtual Circles in the program, including a management plan for referral of Core Members and a national bank of volunteers to deliver Circles for remote communities.
The goal of the project is to mobilize 30 volunteers and start 20 new Circles over the 2-year period. While CoSA already has a well-established training programme and policies for best practices, adjusting the existing programme to accommodate the virtual world will take some consideration. The experience gained throughout the COVID-19 pandemic will serve to guide the project; as well, the evolution of society over the last twenty years–since the creation of virtual meeting platforms–suggests that this is the correct time for this project.
January 21, 2025
Open Letter of Support for Circles of Support and Accountability
​
In my view, Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) is the single most important innovation in community corrections in the past 50 years. It represents the ideal model of community corrections whereby pro-social members of the community engage constructively with individuals who are returning to the community to build relationships and life skills that support their safe reintegration.
​
When compared with other community-based programs that support reintegration of individuals re-entering the community, CoSA is remarkable in five important respects. First, it provides a total “wrap-around” service, from the moment of discharge from penitentiary, that addresses the full range of physical and social needs including assistance with obtaining clothing, housing, transportation, connection to health and social services, and social engagement. Second, CoSA brings these individuals into contact with pro-social members of the community - selected and trained volunteers - in a circle model that fosters healthy, safe relationships based on trust that assist the individual in building a purposeful life free of crime. Third, it provides these intensive services to individuals who, because their crimes caused sexual victimization, pose a particular concern to the public. Fourth, grounded in restorative justice principles, CoSA promotes meaningful accountability of these individuals to the community to prevent further harm. Finally, there is a solid body of research evidence that shows that participation in a CoSA circle results in significant reductions in recidivism compared with those released to the community without involvement with CoSA. Furthermore, findings from cost-benefit analyses of CoSA have demonstrated substantial savings in criminal justice system costs associated with the avoidance of further criminal behaviour and victimization.
​
From a public policy perspective, I consider CoSA to be the perfect community partner for Correctional Service Canada in fulfilling its mission to contribute to public safety “by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens.” Actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens is precisely what CoSA volunteer members are doing when they form a circle of support and accountability around an individual who has been released to the community following a lengthy period of incarceration. This is community corrections at its finest.
​
While this model program has expanded and flourished in many other countries (see for example, Circles UK, at https://circles-uk.org.uk) it has not been recognized in Canada as the groundbreaking innovation that it is and has not been funded sufficiently to realize its full potential. For individual donors, private sector corporations, and funding organizations that are interested in investing in community safety and well-being, CoSA is an excellent choice for that investment.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Cormier, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Former Senior Director, Corrections Research and Community Development,
Public Safety Canada
Former Executive Director, National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada
A Possible Expiry Date
Unfortunately, our funding is not guaranteed beyond July 2025. With that in mind, we will not be accepting new clients unless we can guarantee their Circles can be smoothly transferred to a stable CoSA site. This will ensure Core Members are properly supported throughout their reintegration.
​
That said, we are still accepting applications and beginning new Circles.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Donate
Virtual CoSA is only funded by Public Safety Canada until July 2025. If you would like to support Virtual CoSA, donations can be made to CoSA Canada. Please add 'for Virtual CoSA' in message.