WHAT IS COMMUNITY MEDIATION?

According to the National Association for Community Mediation, “[c]ommunity mediation offers constructive processes for resolving differences and conflicts between individuals, groups, and organizations. It is an alternative to avoidance, destructive confrontation, prolonged litigation or violence. It gives people in conflict an opportunity to take responsibility for the resolution of their dispute and control of the outcome. Community mediation is designed to preserve individual interests while strengthening relationships and building connections between people and groups, and to create processes that make communities work for all of us.”

Community mediation with Gold Mediation is premised upon a unique, non-adversarial process which recognizes the complexity and challenges of conflict. Grounded upon the understanding-based approach to mediation, we adhere to the principle of self-determination which gives control over the process, along with decision-making authority, solely to the participants. As a mediator, I will utilize guided inquiry, active listening and a guarantee of confidentiality to create a safe environment so that the conversation can move beyond stated positions to an identification and understanding of underlying interests. This process recognizes that the parties themselves have the best understanding of what lies underneath their dispute and, therefore, are in the best position to find a solution. Their motivation and willingness to work together is critical to the success of this approach. With this process proven to have the added benefit of often preserving, rather than fractioning, the parties’ relationship, we will together explore numerous options in an effort to collaboratively resolve the underlying conflict. Since the ultimate result is crafted by the parties themselves, there is greater compliance with the mediated agreement.

This process works because it is confidential, non-adversarial, mutually empowering and cost-effective. The fees are moderate and on an hourly basis.