How Community Mediation Works

Posted on: 28 December 2021

Share

Managed communication can aid with resolving a conflict between two individuals or multiple groups of people. A community mediator provides services in many jurisdictions. This person may meet parties face-to-face or may offer an e-mediation session that will reach parties who are in remote locations.

Why Use Mediation?

Threatening someone with calling the police or hinting that a lawsuit may be taken out in the near future can intimidate the person on the receiving end. Some situations do not immediately warrant legal action. Even if a law has potentially been broken, there may be a way to remedy the situation, without getting law officials involved.

For instance, if there is a noise ordinance that is mandated in a particular community and a resident isn't following the guidelines that community members are supposed to follow, seeking a meeting with a mediator is a civil way to address the issue, without seeming too confrontational or threatening. Mediation can be beneficial for neighbor disputes, noise and pet complaints, and miscommunication concerning a contract or a verbal agreement.

What Happens During A Meeting?

The person who has a complaint can contact a mediator. If both parties who have an issue are willing to discuss a problem, they may both agree to contact a mediator. A community mediator will schedule a time to meet in person or to meet via a video chat platform. Both sides will need to be available to speak during the appointment that has been scheduled.

A mediator may specify that a couple of hours will need to be dedicated to speaking about the issue. Each party can verbalize their perspective of the situation. If two groups of people are dealing with a conflict, one or more people from both groups may choose to speak during the mediation. Mediation may not always result in a resolution. A mediator's input can greatly increase the chance of two sides forming an agreement.

Brainstorming may be conducted during a meeting. The brainstorming will consist of coming up with solutions to the problem that are not against the law and that will not interfere with either side's livelihood or safety. If two parties fail to make a written or verbal agreement, they may need to seek legal advice or search for other avenues that will aid with resolving the conflict. A community mediator may check back with each party in the future, to find out if the issue has been resolved yet. 

For more information on community mediation, contact a company like Metropolitan Mediation Services.