Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023
Senior Manager of Community Programs at The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire Dan Rowe talks about the customizable de-escalation training programs they offer to the area.
All about virtual mediation…
As with almost everything else, Covid-19 has disrupted normal court proceedings. What does this mean for mediation?
Luckily for us, The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire has continued to provide mediation services through teleconferencing. Although we were worried at first, our mediators and support staff have been successfully holding virtual mediations.
In the past five months, the Mediation Center has held mediation services virtually for members of our Savannah and Chatham county communities. Using Zoom, a teleconferencing platform, we provide virtual mediation in the same neutral, confidential, and collaborative way as we do in person.
Some may find virtual mediation even more easy and flexible than our typical in-person sessions. Parties can Zoom in from the comfort of their homes or offices (no commute!), or even driving on their way to work (although we don’t necessarily encourage that – stay safe on the roads, folks!). With the ease of no commute and mediating from the comfort of one’s own home, some of our volunteer mediators have even found that participants are more relaxed, making the overall mediation process more satisfying for all involved.
Virtual mediations are almost identical to in-person options. Rather than signing in person, we send the mediation guidelines to all the parties by email before the mediation begins and, if the parties make an agreement, sign digitally with online documentation software. Breakout rooms allow mediators to speak with parties individually, just like they would in the office. The transition has been seamless.
We don’t know when the courts will resume hearings. Jury trials and most grand jury proceedings have been prohibited since March of this year and will be on hold at least until mid-September. In the meantime, virtual mediation provides an opportunity for parties to find justice and resolution – making for one less worry during stressful times.
You can find more information about our virtual mediations on our Mediation FAQ page.
Introducing Community Conversations
Last Saturday, twenty-two people gathered on a Zoom call to discuss “Race in the Time of Corona.” The discussion was the first of a three-part series in the Mediation Center’s new facilitated dialogue program, Community Conversations. Community Conversations seeks to gather community members to relate and connect, building healthier, more resilient communities. It is a safe space to listen and be heard.
Community Conversations are facilitated dialogues, which means that a facilitator guides participants through an open sharing process, giving them the opportunity to draw upon and share their own experiences while hearing and learning from others’. It is an opportunity to engage deeply with those we may never interact with normally.
Topics are chosen by facilitators or suggested by community members. Our past conversations have included “Hate Speech, Free Speech, and Campus Life,” “Unmasking Shame,” and “Anxious Around ReOpening…for You and Your Family.”
Inspired by Living Room Conversations, our Community Conversations are governed by LRC ground rules to ensure that we have deep and meaningful conversations:
- Be curious and listen to understand.
- Show respect and suspend judgment.
- Note any common ground as well as any differences.
- Be authentic and welcome that from others.
- Be purposeful and to the point.
- Own and guide the conversation.
With these ground rules, participants can share and engage with each other – even with those who have vastly differing views! During Saturday’s Community Conversation, participants shared their relationship to race and how it may have changed after George Floyd’s death. Diverse in race, age, background, and location (one participant even joined from outside the United States!), we spoke for two hours, sharing experiences, asking questions, and making connections. It was a powerful evening.
Please check out our upcoming Community Conversations and join us for an evening of meaningful connection and honest discussion.
Peer Mediation Youth Awards – An Unforgettable Evening of Recognition
By Jill Cheeks
Mediation Center Executive Director
We recently had the opportunity to honor youth in our community who are working to make a difference in their schools each day. On the evening of Wednesday, April 25 at Woodville Tompkins Technical & Career High School, over 300 peer mediators, Mediation Center staff members and volunteers came together with the friends and family of these youths to honor their diligent efforts. These students truly make a tremendous impact both in the community and as role models in their schools by helping their peers navigate conflict, develop conversation skills, and facilitate differences peacefully. It was truly a remarkable evening.
We were honored to have WSAV news anchor Kim Gusby serve as the emcee for the evening, and Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett graciously gave the keynote address. Our Director of Youth Programs Crystal Commodore, who we’re very fortunate to have on staff leading the Peer Mediation program, also addressed the audience.
It is so important to our organization that these peer mediators, who are committed to making their school a peaceful place to learn, are recognized. These students go through intensive training in communication, problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills before becoming peer mediators and it’s vital that we acknowledge their hard work and accomplishments.
Our Peer Mediation Program has trained students in over 35 schools and the training is open to children from second to 12th grade. Studies have shown that 62 percent of school-related behavioral incidents and conflicts occur in the classroom, taking away from valuable instruction time. We have been privileged to work with school coordinators who have supported these Peer Mediators as they
mediated over 300 disputes during the 2016-2017 school year, with a staggering 97 percent resulting in students reaching an agreement, and 92 percent of agreements remaining effective one-month post mediation.
It was enlightening to watch these students beaming with pride as they were called onto the stage during the awards ceremony and thanked for their hard work. Our peer mediators are truly going above and beyond to ensure a peaceful learning environment for their fellow students and the community.
Workplace Training Program Can Bring Peace to your Staff and Increase Team Efficiency
By Jill Cheeks
Mediation Center Executive Director
Springtime can be tough for many office staffers and team members to handle. Summer vacations are still too far away and the holiday breaks are well behind us. Workers may be contending with stir-crazy kids who had a taste of spring break freedom and are now eyeing the end of school. Tax returns are due. Most folks aren’t in stellar moods and tensions can run high.
But when discord strikes among your staff, the Mediation Center is here to help with a program that a lot of people aren’t aware they can take advantage of. Our Workplace Training Program focuses on managing conflict and building consensus among employees. We can help to neutralize colleagues in conflict and simplify tense and stressful situations in the workplace. This course is designed to deal with negative attitudes and other sources of workplace conflict in a positive, healthy, productive manner.
The course focuses on defusing “hot button” situations, calming explosive personalities and exercising damage control while encouraging participants to keep their own confidence and composure during the process. Our instructors equip attendees with strategies for managing conflicts, building consensus and understanding others more effectively. To get to the root of conflicts and defuse them before they escalate, we must generate multiple mutually-constructive solutions and strategies.
Other professional services offered by the Mediation Center include usage of our experienced mediators to facilitate retreats, meetings and planning sessions as well as conducting mediations among conflicting employees to reach an agreement. We’ll also assist with defining decision-making strategies and assessing root causes of conflict in your workplace.
I personally visit a wide range of workplaces and offices who choose to work with the Mediation Center for these services and teach courses on-site to the participating attendees. I’ve found these programs useful in a number of scenarios, such as helping employees put difficult situations in perspective. Furthermore, when it comes to facilitating group workshops, board retreats, planning sessions or forums, our trained mediators’ experience in bringing about harmonious resolutions allows them to keep groups on track, maintaining order and streamlining discussions to achieve goals. When professionals come to us seeking assistance, we help them objectively examine matters from both sides of the equation – and that’s never a wasted life skill, whatever the future might bring!
If you’re interested in utilizing any of these professional services, please call or email me today at 912-354-6686 or jcheeks@mediationsavannah.com.