FAQ

Am I eligible for mediation?

Anyone who lives or works in Washington County, MD may request mediation services from WCCMC. We also receive requests from people live outside of Washington County and sometimes even from other states across the border such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia. We do not turn anyone away from receiving mediation, regardless of age, gender, education, race, ethnicity, income or geographic location. In order to participate in mediation, individuals must be able to speak for themselves in mediation on their own behalf without fear of retaliation. We cannot mediate cases where participants have active peace orders or protective orders unless those orders are modified by a judge to allow for mediation.

Are the agreements reached in a mediation binding?

The participants' agreement at the end of the mediation process may be an enforceable contract. We encourage participants not to sign the agreement if there is anything they do not want to see enforced because we want participants to be comfortable with the entire agreement. As the mediators DO NOT provide legal advice, we cannot advise participants what can and cannot be enforced. The participants may consult with a lawyer at any time.

Are the mediators' decisions final?

Mediators do not make decisions for the participants. Mediators help participants in a conflict to talk to one another about the situation that brought them to mediation to help them to gain clarity and understand the other participant's perspectives. The mediators run a five-step process that essentially allows the participants to make their own decisions in mediation. As mediators, we believe that participants are experts in their own conflicts and ultimately know what decisions they want to make.

Can mediation be used in a business dispute?

Yes. WCCMC mediates business and workplace disputes. Family-owned and other small businesses often contact WCCMC to help them to work out their conflicts. Mediation is confidential, non-judgmental and voluntary.

Do I Need Mediation?

Have you ever been involved in a conflict?

Who do you go to for help when you are having an argument, dispute, fight or disagreement?

When was the last time you felt that the person with whom you were having a conflict understood how you felt, what was important to you and your perspective on the situation?

WCCMC CAN HELP!

Without an opportunity to resolve disputes where everyone involved in the conflict feels heard and understood, situations often remain unresolved and/or escalate to the point that relationships are broken. At times, people in conflict do not know what to do or how to fix the situation. If you are experiencing a conflict and not sure how to handle the outcome, please give mediation a try. Call us at 301-665-9262 or email wccmc.vols@gmail.com to open up a case and to find out more information if mediation is the right fit for your conflict.

Does mediation work for separating couples?

Participants can bring any situation that is causing them conflict. Couples who are separated may use mediation to talk about whatever they want to discuss and develop plans in mediation that meet their current and future needs. More than 80% of participants who complete the entire 5-step mediation process which culminates with an agreement, report that they are satisfied with the agreement. The reason participants often find that their agreement works is that it is THEIR agreement NOT the mediators agreement! In the inclusive style of mediation which WCCMC provides, we believe that the participants are the experts in their own conflicts and that they are more likely to follow agreements that comprised of THEIR SOLUTIONS!

English is my second language. How can I ensure that I'll understand what's going on?

The center does not have resources to provide professional interpreter services. Participants are welcome to bring friends, family members or professional interpreters to assist them in communication.

How can I be assured that the mediators will be impartial?

Mediators are neutral and non-judgmental in participants' conflicts. Mediators do not decide who is good or bad in the conflict or who is right or wrong in the conflict. Mediators do not give advice, suggestions or solutions to the conflict. Unlike court or other legal proceedings, the mediators do not act as the judge or jury and do not impose consequences. Mediators do not bring their personal opinions to the mediation table; therefore, they are able to remain impartial to the participants and their conflict. In mediation, participants - NOT the mediators - control the decisions and the outcomes.

How can I become a mediator?

If you are interested in becoming a mediator, call the WCCMC at 301-665-9262 or email us at wccmc.vols@gmail.com to request information about Basic Mediation Training, obtain a mediator application and ask to be put on our mailing list. Depending upon trainer scheduling availability, the WCCMC will host a 45-hour Basic Mediation Training once or twice each year. To be considered for the training, it is required that interested applicants submit a volunteer application, meet with our staff for an in-person interview and volunteer some of your time at WCCMC so we get to know you better and you get the opportunity to learn more about the mediation center who we are and what we do to make sure that it is a good fit for everyone. The WCCMC will mail training schedules and applications to those individuals who have expressed an interest in becoming mediators. When we receive your application, we will set up an interview with you. Training applicants who are accepted into the next basic mediation training (BMT) class complete the 45-hour mediation course receive a certificate. After completing the 45-hour BMT course, the next step is to begin the apprenticeship process: observing two full mediation cases through the five step process, co-mediating two mediation cases through the five-step process and attending the five hour BMT follow-up course and volunteering your time (100 hours in a 12-month period) co-mediating cases for WCCMC.

How Do I Get Started?

Most people are familiar with the "traditional means" of resolving their conflicts, disputes, arguments, disagreements or fights which often is by either avoiding the situation, resorting to violence or retaliation, calling the police, making reports to the courts, or contacting lawyers to intervene. While using lawyers, the police or courts are important resources, many disputes can be resolved by less adversarial means.

Unlike court hearings or lawyer-led arbitration, inclusive mediation is collaborative process in which you (the participants) work together to determine the resolution to the conflict. Mediation is an opportunity for participants to resolve both the situation that brought the case to mediation, addresses the underlying issues that led to the conflict and anything else participants want to work on. While it can be challenging to make that shift from the old methods of handling conflict to trying something new, we encourage people to give our process of mediation a try!

We believe that conflict is a normal, inevitable part of life and occurs daily in everyone's life in different degrees. In the inclusive mediation framework, we view conflict as a neutral "energy", not necessarily positive or negative as it could go in either direction. Conflict can be channeled in either a positive or negative direction based on how it is handled. Society tends to perceive conflict as negative which affects people's attitudes and resistance to mediation.

When two or more people have a conflict, even if they think that it is just between them, the entire community feels the repercussions. The same is true of a strong relationship between two people. Everyone feels the benefit. That is exactly how mediation fits into the community: everyone feels the benefit when participants work together in a collaborative process to find ways to work out their conflicts in mediation.

Former participants report that after mediation that they felt that it was a positive experience for them that they were able to explain how they felt and no one judged them. Many relationships can be rebuilt and transformed. That is not to say that all mediations end "happily ever after". In some situations, participants decide that the relationship is not salvageable and use mediation to make plans about how they will avoid one another in the future and not be involved in the other person's life.

If you are interested in hearing more about how mediation could help you to work out your conflicts and/or want to open up a case with the WCCMC, the following information gives the next steps to open up a case.

Make contact with the WCCMC program staff at 301-665-9262 or email us at wccmc.vols@gmail.com . You may refer yourself, a significant other or spouse, children, family members, friends, neighbors, work peers, local schools, community organizations, houses of faith or any individual or organization in the community who is experiencing a conflict.
When making a referral to open up a case with WCCMC, please provide your full name, your mailing address, the best phone number to reach you at, the best time to reach you by phone and your general availability to mediate. We will also need you to provide the names of all the people you want to mediate with along with their mailing addresses and phone numbers.
WCCMC staff contacts all participants and arranges for the mediation at a time convenient to everyone. Prior to scheduling a mediation session, our case management staff MUST be able to speak to each participant by phone to do the intake and screening process. Because mediation is voluntary, we can only schedule a mediation session with participants who want to mediate with the participants who are attending the session!
Mediations are scheduled during the weekdays, early evenings, and weekends in neutral locations throughout Washington County. As we share space in our building with another organization, we schedule sessions Mondays-Fridays (in between 8am-5pm) at off-site locations typically in the downtown Hagerstown area. We hold evening (5-7p, 6-8p or 7-9p) and weekend mediations here at the mediation center.
Mediation sessions are scheduled for a two hour time period. The number of mediation sessions are determined by the 5-step mediation process not by a predetermined number of sessions. At the close of the first mediation session, the mediators and the participants make plans about scheduling additional sessions.
In some situations, mediation may be an alternative to court and other legal proceedings. At the end of the 5-step mediation process, the mediators can incorporate the solutions that the participants agreed to do in the brainstorm process into a written agreement.

How does mediation work?

Mediation brings people in conflict together in a neutral non-judgmental setting. With the help of the mediators, participants discuss the situation which brought them to mediation and anything else that they want to talk about. The mediators run a 5-step mediation process. In Step 1, the mediators explain mediation. In Step 2, the mediators gather information asking questions for clarification and taking notes to understand how participants felt about what happened, learn what is important to them (what values are important to them) and help to facilitate a communication and dialogue to possibly help the participants in the conflict to understand one another's point's of view so that participants feel heard and understood. In Step 3, the mediators help the participants to identify and develop a list of topics which are words or a phrase that sums up that they conflict is about. Topics are things that have caused conflict in the past or could cause conflict in the future. In Step 4, the mediators run a 4-stage brainstorm process to help participants find their own solutions to the conflict. The brainstorm process runs like this: Stage A: Participants list ALL the solutions. Stage B. The participants pick quick agreements. Stage C. Mediators help the participants to adjust suggestions with potential. Stage D. Mediators ask participants for details about the solutions they both agreed to implement. In Step 5, the mediators take the participant's solutions that they agreed to do in Step 4 and write the written agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The mediation process is considered to be complete at the culmination of the agreement. In other words, mediators will ask the participants if they do everything that they said they would agree to do in the MOU, would their conflict be resolved. If the answer is yes, mediation is completed, and the case is closed. If the answer is no, the mediators will return to Step 4 and begin the brainstorm process again to help the participants find agreements that are mutually acceptable so that the conflict can be resolved. Mediation is voluntary, confidential and non-judgmental. In mediation, the participants determine the outcome of the conflict. The mediators role is to run the 5-step process which allows the participants the ability to resolve the conflict in their own way.

How is the WCCMC operated and organized?

The WCCMC is overseen by a Board of Directors, and the program currently has a five person staff who run the day-to-day operations of the program. WCCMC staff include our Executive Director, who manages the mediation center, writes and manages grants, oversees the budget and expenditures, fundraising and networking with referrals partners; two Program Managers, who are responsible for managing the mediation program, conduct intake and case management, supervise staff and volunteers, recruit, manage, train WCCMC volunteers and perform outreach duties; an Intake Specialist, who fields intake calls and schedules mediation sessions; a Reentry Program Specialist, who manages the reentry mediation program at the Maryland Correctional Institution- Hagerstown (MCI-H), Maryland Correctional Training Center (MCTC) and Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI).

As an organization, the WCCMC strives to recruit, manage and train volunteers to help out in the office to do general office work. We performs outreach duties for the local law enforcement community, religious organizations and veterans groups. We work with youth volunteers and organize and develop programs to effectively manage conflict in school/college settings.

We would be remiss if we did not stress that our volunteer mediators are the backbone of the WCCMC. After volunteers complete their 50-hour training, they commit a certain number of hours back to the WCCMC in conducting mediations and/or participating in community outreach endeavors to increase awareness of our services. It is because of these efforts that the WCCMC is able to provide free services to those in need.

How long does mediation take?

Mediations are typically scheduled for two hours. Additional sessions will be scheduled by the mediators and the participants near to the end of the first session.

How much does mediation cost?

Mediation is FREE so that anyone is able to access this service.

How often is mediation successful? Is it worth my time?

An hour or two of effective communication is never time wasted. 86% of people who have used mediation report that their conflict improved after mediation, that they learned new ways to communicate with important people in their lives in ways that they did not do before mediation and that they followed the agreements that they made in mediation because they were THEIR SOLUTIONS TO THE CONFLICT!

If I've already retained counsel, may I bring my attorney to mediation with me?

Attorneys are permitted to attend mediation, as long as all participants agree prior to the start of the session that they will be able to speak for themselves on their own behalf without fear of retaliation. Any mediation participant, including lawyers, must speak with our intake staff prior to attending a mediation session to do intake and screening which is part of WCCMC's case management process. Participants and their lawyers must understand that WCCMC WILL NOT PAY for the attorney's fees to attend the mediation! Furthermore, WCCMC mediators lead, run and facilitate the 5-step mediation process. The lawyers role as participants is the same and any other participant that attends the mediation. If a participant does not feel as though they can speak for themselves on their own behalf without fear of retaliation and wants their lawyer to speak for them in mediation, this process of mediation may not be for you. In the inclusive mediation framework, each participant must be able to speak for themselves in mediation without fear of retaliation.

Is mediation confidential?

What is said in mediation and what happens in mediation is confidential, and that includes phone calls between participants and Center Staff. That means what happens in mediation stays in mediation as far as the mediators are concerned. Participants can tell whoever they want, except in court and other proceedings. The only exceptions to confidentiality are child abuse, abuse of vulnerable adults, and credible (believable) threats to do future bodily harm.

May I bring a friend, family member or other representative with me for support in mediation?

Personal representatives or supporters are welcome in the mediation process, as long as all participants agree prior to the start of the mediation. In addition, all participants and observers MUST SPEAK with Center Staff to do intake and screening prior to the mediation session. Mediation is voluntary so participants ARE NOT REQUIRED to mediate with anyone with whom they do not want to mediate. Observers at the mediation session MAY NOT SPEAK in the session. Their role is to be quiet and simply watch. Any observer who does not follow those rules will be asked to leave the mediation session. Participants must reach agreement with regard to how other participants will be allowed to contribute to the discussion in mediation so that no one feels as though they cannot mediate face-to-face, so that there is nothing they would not be able to say and that they can ask for what they want in mediation all without fear of retaliation. Mediators WILL NOT ALLOW "surprise" participants to enter the mediation session unless intake is completed AND ALL participants agree that everyone can participate. If there is someone you want to bring with you to the mediation, please contact WCCMC at 301-665-9262 in advance of your session to find out what steps need to be taken so that additional participants can attend mediation.

This sounds like a good idea. How do I arrange for mediation?

For more information email us at wccmc.vols@gmail.com or call us at 301-665-9262. Our office maintains typical business hours Mondays through Fridays 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM. If you call us before or after regular office hours, please leave your name, your phone number and the best time to contact you. We will call you back as soon as we return to the office. We respond to all emails within 48 business hours.

What are the rules for mediation?

WCCMC request that mediation participants read and agree to consent to participate in the mediation process prior to beginning the actual mediation session. We want participants to understand and agree that they understand that mediation is voluntary, that the mediators are neutral and non-judgmental, that mediation is confidential, and agree by signing the consent form that they will enter the mediation process of their own free will and without coercion. Also, by signing the consent form, participants agree that they can speak for themselves on their own behalf without fear of retaliation. Mediation participants understand that they or the mediators can stop the mediation process at any time for any reason.

WCCMC does not enforce any particular rules about conduct in mediation. The mediators job is to facilitate the 5-step mediation process. We leave it up to the participants to make decisions about how they would like to conduct themselves during the sessions. If participants want to make plans about language, tone and other behavior prior to the mediation beginning, the mediators can facilitate a brainstorm to help participants have the conversation. In addition, the mediators' role is not to enforce the participant's rules. We will help participants to determine how they want to enforce their own rules and/or what consequences they want to implement.

What can I do if I find myself in a conflict?

Here are a few tips:

Think carefully about what is bothering you and what you would like to have happen to address the situation.
Talk with the other person you are in conflict with and agree on a good time to talk.
When you disagree with someone, calmly explain your point of view. Ask for the other person's ideas and listen carefully to what they are saying to understand.
Double check with them to be certain you understand what they are saying.
Remember that your gestures and tone of voice often show how you feel. It is not just your words.
Emphasize what you need. Avoid telling the other person what they should and should not do.
Be positive and commit to resolving the situation and any underlying issues. If you cannot make progress with the person or people that you are in conflict with, consider mediation as a way to work out the problem.
To open up a mediation case, call WCCMC at 301-665-9262 or email wccmc.ed@gmail.com.

What can mediation give me that litigation cannot?

Privacy - Courts are very public places and court documents are public as well. Mediation, by contrast, is confidential, which offers the benefit of keeping your personal and financial affairs out of public view. For cases referred from the Circuit Court, Family Court Divisions, agreements made in mediation will be a public document.

Creativity - Due to the nature of the legal system, judges must follow certain rules when deciding cases. The types of relief (solutions) that a judge can order as the result of litigation are limited. The flexibility you have to reach your own result is one of the greatest benefits of choosing mediation.

Fewer Costs - The role a consulting attorney plays in mediation is very different from litigation. Important steps, like the investigation and sharing of evidence, are a formal process in court which adds to the cost and complexity of a case. Consulting attorneys advise their clients about their legal rights and the consequences of settling the case.

In mediation, attorneys are welcome to attend the mediation and like any other participant or observer must do intake and screening with center staff prior to entering the mediation session. As mediation is voluntary, all participants must be willing to mediate with the attorney present. If the attorney is going to attend the mediation, intake staff will ask what role they will play in the mediation: participate in the mediation or simply observe the session. WCCMC will NOT PAY for participant's attorneys fees to attend a mediation.

Mediation at WCCMC is FREE! The only cost to the participants is their time to work through the conflict in a collaborative way. Sessions are two hours long, and there is no limit to the number of sessions.

Faster Results - The formal procedures lawyers undertake in litigation are not only costly, they also take time. Built-in time delays can be kept to a minimum by informally sharing information. You can set the pace for the process, rather than relying on a court, and mediators can take more time to handle your case than judges.

Collaborative instead of adversarial - The combative hostility of litigation is not present in the mediation process. The participants work together to find their own solutions to the situations that have caused the conflict. The participants are not hampered with strict rules of evidence and are free to look for creative solutions. In mediation, the participants are the experts in their own conflict and determine the outcome of the conflict.

What cases are appropriate for mediation?

Virtually any conflict is appropriate for mediation. Mediators assist participants with inter-personal conflicts, neighbor disputes, family conflicts, parent/teen conflicts, landlord-tenant disputes, business conflicts, employment conflicts, group and organizational conflicts, love triangles, separation and/or divorce and parenting plans. The only type of dispute which the WCCMC will not mediate is that in which participants are afraid to speak for themselves on their own behalf due to fear of retaliation. In mediation, participants MUST BE ABLE to speak face-to-face with the other person or people with whom they are having a conflict and MUST BE ABLE to ask for what they want in mediation.

What do mediators do?

During the mediation, the mediators' role is to facilitate a five-step mediation process that assists participants to have a discussion about the conflict that brought them to mediation and to help the participants to essentially help themselves to find ways to resolve their conflicts going forward in the future. In Step One of mediation, mediators explain mediation to the participants. If the participants believe they can speak for themselves on their own behalf without fear of retaliation, we ask that they read and sign a consent form which states among other things that mediation is a voluntary process, that the mediators are non-judgmental in the conflict and reviews confidentiality. Participants are provided with a copy of the signed consent form. Step Two of mediation is information gathering which is a time for participants to discuss the reasons why they came to mediation. Mediators's role is to listen to what participants are saying to understand how they felt about what happened and to learn what is important to them. Mediators will take notes and ask participants questions to understand what they are saying. Step Three of mediation is listing topics. Topics are one word or a phrase that sum up what the conflict is about and what participants want to make plans about in mediation. Step Four of mediation is to brainstorm and develop solutions. In this step of mediation, the mediators help participants transition into the future to break down each topic one by one to list participant's ideas about possible solutions around the topic that caused the conflict. Mediators write all ideas up on the easel board so that everyone can see what is listed. Mediators will ask participants what ideas they can both agree to do in the future and circle the ideas that participants want to implement. Mediators help participants to tweak the ideas that have potential and make sure to get specifics about the ideas that are picked. Step Five of mediation is writing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which is the participant's written agreement. The only things that go into the MOU are the ideas that all participants picked from the brainstorm. The agreement lists the ideas that participants agree to do in the future to resolve the conflict. Mediators and participants sign the MOU. Each participant is provided with a signed copy. WCCMC keeps a copy of the signed consent form and the signed MOU on file. The participants' MOUs are kept confidential.

What if I change my mind and want to stop the mediation session?

Mediation is voluntary. The participants or the mediator(s) may decide to stop the mediation process at any time for any reason.

What if it turns out that I know one of the mediators?

In the event that a participant and/or a mediator know one another, the mediators will ask participants how they would like to proceed. If there is a conflict of interest, a participant may request another mediator be assigned to the case. In most situations, the session will need to be rescheduled for another day and time so that WCCMC can assign another mediator the case. In the same situation, if the mediators knows a participant and cannot remain unbiased and neutral because of their relationship with the participant, the mediator may request to opt out of the session. In this situation, WCCMC will make every effort to reschedule the session in a timely manner.

What if the judge doesn't agree with a settlement which has been reached in mediation?

Due to confidentiality, WCCMC does not submit participants' agreements to a court for a judge to review. There is one exception. In Circuit Court referred cases which are typically parenting plan mediation involving child custody- legal and physical- where mediation participant have a court date, WCCMC does send completed and signed agreements to the family court for judges to review in advance of the court date. While WCCMC has not encountered a situation where a judge rejects the participants' agreement, ultimately it is always up the judge to decide if they will honor the participants' agreement arrived at through mediation.

What if the other party is unwilling to mediate?

Mediation is completely voluntary. No one will be forced to participate. Center personnel will be available to talk with the other participant and explain mediation in more detail, to make sure they understand what mediation offers.

What is the difference between Attorneys and Mediators?

Mediators and attorneys have different roles. Attorneys represent the interests of their clients and advise them on the best way to present their case. Attorneys may discuss what could happen in court. While some mediators may also be lawyers, they do not act as an attorney when they are in the role of a mediator.

Mediator lead the mediation process, listen and ask questions to understand what participants say. Mediators DO NOT take sides, DO NOT decide who is right or wrong, and DO NOT offer solutions. The mediators DO NOT provide legal advice. The participants may consult with a lawyer at any time. In mediation, participants speak for themselves on their own behalf rather than having a lawyer speak for them.

What kind of training do the mediators have?

WCCMC volunteer mediators have been trained by Community Mediation Maryland to be mediators and have completed at least 50 hours of basic mediation training in conflict resolution and mediation process. In addition, they bring life experience from many areas of work and community service. They also have continuing education through our organization. They operate in a co-mediation model, receive peer feedback reviews and staff evaluation to improve their skills and knowledge.

What Types of Conflicts Can be Mediated?

We will mediate a conflict at any stage of the dispute, including:

Inter-personal disputes (including assaults, harassment, love triangles, and friendships turned sour)
Neighborhood disputes (such as noise, property, animals, & lifestyle differences)
Family disputes (such as parent-teen conflicts, husband/wife, siblings, and family)
Landlord-tenant disputes
Neighbor disputes
Business disputes (including disputes between businesses and residents)
Employment disputes (such as conflicts between employee and employer)
Separation and/or Divorce
Parenting Plan (child custody conflicts such as decision making, time-sharing and living arrangements)
Reentry (specialized pre-release mediations offered at the three state prisons on Roxbury Road in Hagerstown- MCI-H, MCTC and RCI)

........ and many others

When can mediations be scheduled?

Center personnel schedule mediations at times convenient for the participants involved. WCCMC holds mediations during the morning, afternoons and early evening. We are able to accommodate weekend mediations as needed.

Where are mediations held

Mediations are held in neutral, safe environments, such as town halls, churches, libraries and community centers throughout Washington County. WCCMC currently has various community partners who offer their facility space for mediations. Sites are located across Washington County, MD with a few located right in downtown Hagerstown at the square. Monday through Friday mediations are scheduled off site during the hours of 9am-5pm as we share space in our building with another organization. We hold mediations at WCCMC in the evenings and on weekends. We are located at 101 Summit Avenue in downtown Hagerstown across the street from the Herald Mail at the corner of Summit and Antietam Streets. We are located in the lower level of the Community Action Council Building. The entrance to WCCMC's offices is on Summit Avenue.

Who are the Mediators?

Our community mediators have extensive training in the field of conflict resolution and the mediation process. They come from all walks of life and represent the diversity of Washington County in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, age, socio-economic status, and educational background.

All of our volunteers are professionally trained by Community Mediation Maryland in the mediation process with the required 50 hour basic mediation training, apprenticeship, and continuing education through WCCMC and other statewide organizations promoting mediation.

Mediators are good listeners, they keep the discussion moving and are required to keep all information confidential. They have experience helping people communicate more effectively, even when it seems impossible for an agreement to be reached.

Who can participate in mediation?

Mediation services are available to anyone - neighbors, couples, roommates, community association members, business partners, teenagers, and anyone else who agrees to go to mediation. WCCMC DOES NOT PROVIDE child care or babysitting services. Participants should secure child care prior to attending mediation.

Why Should I Consider Mediation?

Conflict is a normal, inevitable part of life and occurs daily in everyone's life in different degrees. Most people are familiar with the traditional means of resolving disputes by avoidance, violence or litigation. Avoidance rarely addresses the underlying issues in a dispute and can contribute to mounting tensions.

When tensions are allowed to fester, they can erupt into violence, especially where there is a general sense of powerlessness and often goes beyond the immediate participants to affect the larger society.

Litigation is an important and valuable process, however, many disputes can be resolved by less adversarial means. Mediation is a collaborative process in which you (the participants) determine the outcome - unlike court hearings or arbitration. Mediation can be a positive experience where some relationships can even be rebuilt and transformed.

Why would I want to try mediation?

Mediation is an opportunity to manage conflicts differently. Agreements reached by the participants themselves are far more likely to be satisfying and lasting solutions than those imposed upon the them by others. The mediators' role is to facilitate the process and to provide space for the participants to have a conversation about the conflict. In mediation, the participants determine the outcome of the conflict.

Will there be a written agreement if a settlement is reached?

Step Five of the mediation process involves writing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which is created from the ideas participants agreed would resolve their conflict. The participants' agreement at the end of the mediation process may be an enforceable contract. We encourage participants not to sign the agreement if there is anything they do not want to see enforced because we want them to comfortable with the entire agreement. WCCMC provides participants with copies of the signed MOU.

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