Community Mediation Working Group – Building Connections and Sharing Insights
Community Mediation Working Group – Building Connections and Sharing Insights
When the CMC Community Mediation Working Group met in person last week, the focus was on connection between mediators, communities, and the systems that support them. Through lively discussion and shared experience, members explored how to strengthen awareness, practice, and collaboration across the sector.
REPORT BY VICTORIA HARRIS
The community mediation group met in person last week to discuss a wide range of topics relevant to the sector.
The Importance of Engaging Referrers
The first Speaker Evelyn Connell from Mediation Surrey spoke about the importance of effectively engaging those who refer to community mediation. From local authority employees, housing officers, social workers and community safety professionals, Evelyn stressed the value of regularly visiting referrers to educate about mediation and to encourage the referral of disputes to local community mediation services. Not assuming a level of knowledge was critical and Evelyn shared a quiz that she handed out at referrer awareness training session to test assumptions and provoke conversation.
The Value of Difficult Conversations
Our second speaker Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence presented on the value of difficult conversations in the community. Drawing upon personal experience and giving first hand examples of working closely with those with a different world view, this was an inspiring and timely presentation. Jeremy spoke to the importance of honest and direct dialogue that does not skate over significant difference and how modelling healthy disagreement empowers participants and observers.
Putting Community Mediation on the Map
The group then reflected upon the aims of their current project to digitally map community mediation which included raising awareness of local services for those who are experiencing conflict and increasing access to services. The project is also designed to support raising awareness of community mediation with those who may look to commission it. Chair Alice Matthews and Deputy CEO Victoria Harris shared detail of responses from services to date and draft visuals for the map. The group will now have the opportunity to work together on part two of this project, which will focus on promotion and dissemination for impact.
Sharing Challenges and Opportunities
Meeting in person provided the opportunity to make meaningful connections and to share challenges and opportunities to help increase the resilience of this mediation sector. Funding, changes relating to boundary disputes, and local authority reorganisation were key topics.
Thank you to 39 Essex Chambers
This in person event was only possible thanks to generous hosting by 39 Essex Chambers. Special thanks to Assistant Practice Manager at 39 Essex, Olivia Rubbra, for her work to support this event.
Pictured from left to right: Chris Mills, Evelyn Connell, Helen Holmes, Melodie Webster, Polly Walker, Jeremy Lawrence, Kirsten Ross, Suzanne Ingham, Lucretia Ortiz, Victoria Harris, Alice Matthews, and Olivia Rubbra
