Mediation can help resolve disputes and conflicts in the community, the workplace and in families. In fact, wherever differences between people are becoming damaging.

Noise Action Week is 21-25 May 2012

In the community

We have over ten years’ experience of resolving disputes and conflicts in neighbourhoods and communities. These mediations are typically conducted for housing associations, local authorities and community safety partnerships; although other organisations with an interest in improving neighbour or community relations have commissioned our work, as have individual tenants and residents. The issues that appear to be in dispute range from parking, high hedges and environmental health issues to noise nuisance, clashes of lifestyle or working patterns and anti-social behaviour. Mediation works with people in dispute to explore and resolve the underlying causes of the conflict.

In the workplace

For staff, managers, HR and personnel:

Mediation has a track record of resolving staff conflict and interpersonal disputes relating to behaviour, communication or conduct at work. Whether communication has broken down, there is a clash of personalities or working relationships have deteriorated, mediation helps colleagues and teams repair. We recognise the rights of individuals and organisations to take advantages of any resources and processes that address their needs. Where appropriate, and with consent, mediation can work in partnership with other procedures, e.g. disciplinary and grievance, or organisations, e.g. trades unions or other advocates. This may afford extra levels of protection where, for instance, there are allegations of bullying or harassment. Mediation can be an alternative to disciplinary and grievance procedures or run parallel. It can be offered after formal procedures for damage limitation or healing and rebuilding. Mediation can help organisations avoid the risk and higher cost of adversarial or legal proceedings. Mediators can also resolve inter-departmental conflict, and address staff restructuring and the reorganisation of groups and working practices. Conflict resolution can be a constructive and lasting element of an overall strategy to help manage change.

For complaints managers:

Organisations wishing to settle a customer or client complaint without going to court engage mediation to address the presenting issue and to explore the underlying causes. This can resolve the immediate complaint and prevent reoccurrences. Whether short-term customer relations or longer-term, continuing relationships with clients or service users, mediation explores the roots and causes of the problem and helps rebuild relationships. We can work in partnership with appropriate advocate and support agencies where complaints involve vulnerable people or those with additional needs. We also engage constructively with family members and others with an appropriate interest in the resolution of a complaint or dispute, within the bounds of confidentiality. Our complaints conciliation is suitable for private, public and not-for-profit organisations.

In families

Mediation can address and resolve disputes within families around relationships and contact with older relatives in care settings. This area of mediation is overlapping with complaints management as family members seek to address concerns within the care settings themselves. We also offer mediation of other specific issues between immediate family members.

Please click here to contact us for further details and to discuss your needs and interests