Mediation
Mediation is a voluntary process in which individuals in a dispute, with the help of a neutral person, seek to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. The process emphasizes the parties’ own responsibility and ability to resolve their dispute.
The neutral person, called a Mediator, has no authority to impose settlement, but instead brings parties together and helps them reach a decision on their own. The Mediator’s role is to create a non-adversarial environment to help participants get to the root of their problems, consider options and develop solutions in a way that is reflective and respectful. Where once the parties may not have been communicating or listening to each other, the Mediator helps them talk things out and consider how they might function in the future rather than remain stuck in past grievances.
Mediation is best used in cases of interpersonal conflict between, for example, family members, neighbors, co-workers or tenants and landlords. The process is a recognized alternative to legal processes which are often lengthy, expensive and irrevocably damaging to relationships. Unlike the courts, Mediation aims to help parties restore their basic relationship, not just reach a settlement. Mediation is also an alternative to other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes, such as conciliation and arbitration, in that the parties themselves decide how to proceed without external advice, solutions or judgment.
Learn about MCD’s initiatives in Family and Community Mediation.
