Some Ideas

    Here are some of the ideas that I have for the next steps of developing a mediation resource for the organization that I am working with. I think that the first step would be to have all of the staff that will be referring people to, or working with, the mediation resource center to ALL be trained in basic mediation. I think that this would help to not only provide a support system for which the resource center can thrive, but also help the staff to understand how mediation works, as well as how they can best utilize its help for their clients. With any resource, it is important to understand first what it is and how it can help, before being able and feeling comfortable to refer others to its services. Included in this training would be the element of cultural understanding and capacity building that I have been thinking about lately, and blogging about most recently.
    I also think that it would be a good idea to then have the few people that will be providing the resource of mediation to the clients to continue working with local mediation centers and practitioners to be able to further understand mediation and know how to progress in its usefulness. In some recent meetings, one of the local centers here in Lane County has said that they might be able to provide a type of mentoring to the people that will be mediating for Centro, which we are grateful for, and I think that this will be a key piece in the resources development. From here, I think that it would be good to then develop hours, once the mediators are ready, for the center so that people can know when they are able to receive the needed help. I think that this is a good starting point. I will continue to kick these thoughts around in my head, and see what else I can think of in the mean time.