Saturday, November 3, 2018

Peer Mediation For Children And Adults

By Virginia Butler


While in school, most often students will have a disagreement with another student or group of students. If part of a gang or going through a rebellious phase, if the issue is not resolved, the results can often be dyer. When this is the case, peer mediation can often assist individuals in working out a resolution while supervised by trained student mediators.

The process is based on the concept of youth helping youth when it comes to problem solving and resolution. In doing so, the mediator provides a confidential safe location where the individuals can meet. At which time, the mediator oversees a meeting of those involved in the conflict.

Mediators providing these services are most often provided through private consulting firms. Most mediators providing these services come from a number of different backgrounds. Whether having participated in the process, or a similar one such as peer counseling which was popular in the 1990s, all are trained before going out on assignments to assist others.

While a lot of focus is on stopping gang violence and disorderly behavior in schools, there are also mediators which work with community members, employees and families. For, all of these are situations in which most likely two or more adults are going to disagree. Whether such disagreement involves family issues in the home, policies and procedures in the workplace or members of a community, there are mediators whom are trained to help resolve issues in this area.

Benefits for adults going through this process is that it creates a peaceful environment which can often assist when it comes to rebuilding a sense of communication, compromise and understanding. Whether the disagreement involves adults at home, work or school, there are trained mediators which specialize in these and other environments.

Conflicts with fellow employees is often one of the most difficult issues because it often involves the risk of being fired. In most cases, a mediator can assist employees in coming to a compromise by teaching that while one employee may see or do things one way, and others another, this does not mean either is right or wrong, just that each have a way of working which is different from one another.

Mediation can also be useful with regards to community members and organizations. For example, if two or more individuals can not come to an agreement with regards to changes in building codes, or other forms of city infrastructure which can often lead to volatile arguments, mediators can often provide a place and oversee such disputes until a compromise or resolution takes place.

In all cases, whether working with adults or children, mediation can assist in educating individuals of all ages how to use more reasonable forms of communication in order to resolve current and future conflicts. Whether a minor or major dispute, a mediator can often be the difference between going to jail, being involved in a lawsuit or having to pay court costs. For, communication, compromise and understanding are often keys in preventing and overcoming disagreements which if not resolved can often lead to arrest, lawsuits or, in the case of gangs, death.




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