| Welcome
to the home page of CCCM - the California Coalition for Community
Mediation!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is mediation?
- Can mediators advise me of my legal
rights?
- What does is mean to be a community
mediation program?
- What kinds of disputes do community
mediation programs address?
- What other kinds of services do community
mediation programs offer?
- What is the mission of the California
Coalition for Community Mediation?
What
is Mediation?
Mediation provides an alternative method of resolving problems
without having to go to court. Through the mediation process,
the individuals involved in a dispute work out their own solutions
with the help of a mediator. The mediator does not enforce
a decision on the individuals, but helps guide them in reaching
a solution. Since the individuals involved in the dispute
play active roles in resolving the program, they usually are
comfortable and supportive of the solution.
Successful mediations often result in written agreements
that are signed by both individuals in a dispute. If the parties
do not reach a mutually agreeable solution, either or both
of the parties may still file a court action.
Mediation procedures are voluntary, and usually
take place in one or more sessions. Mediators usually are
either trained, volunteer nonlawyers who reside in the community,
or are paid individuals with backgrounds in law, psychology,
or counseling. The mediator's role is to work with both parties
in a dispute to identify the issues, reduce misunderstandings,
clarify priorities, vent emotions, find points of agreement,
explore new areas of compromise and collaboration, and negotiate
an agreement. ^top
Can mediators
advise me of my legal rights?
It is not part of a mediator's role to provide legal advice.
Mediators are neutral parties, and their main responsibility
is to help parties reach a mutually acceptable conclusion
or resolution to a problem. Mediators are impartial negotiators,
not advisors and they work equally on behalf of all parties.
Therefore, a mediator can not advise an individual party of
their rights. ^top
What does it mean
to be a Community Mediation program?
A Community Mediation program in California is generally
an independent nonprofit organization, or a program sponsored
by a public agency, social service or educational institution,
that has one or more of the following characteristics:
- The mediation program makes available at least some of
their services either free, low cost or sliding scale to
individuals or groups in their local communities depending
on income or ability to pay.
- The mediation program may use trained, experienced volunteers
from their local communities as mediators in some or all
of these services.
- The mediation program may receive funding to provide mediation
and other conflict resolution services to their local communities
through the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA).
^top
What types of disputes
do community mediation programs address?
The typical kinds of situations community mediation programs
can address include: disputes involving neighbors, landlords
and tenants, merchants/contractors and consumers, businesses,
family members, co-workers, youth, schools, homeowner associations,
seniors and many, many more! ^top
What other kinds
of services do community mediation programs offer?
In addition to mediation services, community mediation programs
often also offer training in mediation skills, communication
techniques and other tools for dealing with conflict. Many
programs have services focused on schools including training
for youth, teachers and parents, and supporting school-based
peer-mediation programs. Community mediation centers also
offer group meeting facilitation services for community forums,
non-profit organizations and other groups. ^top
What
is the mission of the California Coalition for Community Mediation?
The California Coalition for Community Mediation is a group
of mediation centers who have been working together since
spring of 2004. The purpose of the California Coalition for
Community Mediation (CCCM) is to increase statewide collaboration
of community mediation organizations in order to develop and
present a clear and compelling voice in all areas where decisions
are made that affect community mediation.
The Coalition seeks to advance the interests of community
mediation and provide opportunities for information sharing
and collaboration among community mediation programs. ^top
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