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The Cost of Community Conflict: Understanding the Price We Pay

The Cost of Community Conflict: Understanding the Price We Pay

  REPORT BY VICTORIA HARRIS

Exciting new research led by Mediation Hertfordshire and funded by The Tudor Trust delves into the consequences of unresolved community conflict. The study will examine the costs associated with health, housing, education, and community safety, shedding light on the value of community mediation in mitigating these costs. By exploring comparative models and reviewing the impact of mediation services, the research aims to evaluate the evidence for integrating community mediation into national infrastructure.

New Research Project for the Community Mediation Sector

In every community, conflict is an inevitable part of human interaction. While differences in opinions and perspectives are natural, unresolved conflicts can have profound consequences. This new research, led by Mediation Hertfordshire and funded by The Tudor Trust, aims to shed light on the various costs associated with community conflict, looking specifically at the costs associated with health, housing, education and community safety.

In looking at the price we pay for community conflict, the research will also analyse the work carried out by community mediation organisations across the UK to understand the contribution that they make to mitigating the cost of conflict. This will be accompanied by in depth interviews with those working in housing, healthcare and within policing.

Community mediation is not unique to the UK. In other countries it is embedded into national infrastructure in recognition of its value both financially and socially. Comparative models will be explored to examine whether the UK would benefit from adopting its own model to save costs whilst supporting happier, safer and healthier communities.

As the UK government turns to mediation in recognition of its ability to re-route conflict away from the costly court process, this research is intended to give timely consideration to how preventing conflict in the community could also save costs for other government departments. Is there hard evidence that could justify the integration of community mediation into national infrastructure?

Financial savings are one measure of the success of community mediation programmes.  The wellbeing of those who are suffering from the adverse effects of conflict is another and the best way to evaluate the impact of community mediation services will also be considered as part of this new research.

The costs associated with a suicide, incidents of ASB, violent crime, school exclusion, social media abuse, eviction from social housing and homelessness caused by family estrangement, all have an emotional, sometimes tragic cost to individuals.  This research will look at the corresponding financial cost to the state as well as examining how prevalent conflict might be as a causal factor for some of those outcomes.

The cost of community conflict is multifaceted and far-reaching. It affects individuals emotionally and puts a strain on relationships at the same time as draining public finances and hampering economic growth.  This new research will ask whether nurturing a culture of empathy and conflict resolution is essential not just to support the wellbeing of individuals and to build stronger communities but also to protect our economic resilience and financial security.

If you wish for your community mediation organisation to be involved and you haven’t yet received the research survey, contact CMC Programme Manager Victoria Harris.

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