Community Mediation Services | Upstate Mediation Center

What Community Mediation Is

Community mediations are an opportunity for individuals, groups, or organizations in conflict to have a conversation with the goal of peaceful resolution that is facilitated by a trained, neutral mediator in a safe, confidential, and efficient manner. Mediation is an alternative to avoidance, destructive confrontation, prolonged litigation, or violence. It allows people in conflict to take responsibility for the resolution of their dispute and control the outcome. Community mediation preserves individual interests while strengthening relationships and building connections between people and groups.

Why Community Mediation is Offered

Community Mediation can make our communities safer and more peaceful to live in. Mediation is a proven process that offers individuals, groups, and organizations the opportunity to take control of disagreements before they escalate.

Benefits to Community Mediation

You can expect a variety of benefits from participating in community mediation. Many of these are exclusive to or otherwise difficult to achieve outside of the mediation experience.

FAST: Many mediations begin and end with only one meeting. Mediation is almost always a far more expedient process than relying on courts.

FLEXIBLE: During mediation, participants drive the process and decide the outcomes. Mediators discuss issues as thoroughly as needed and document on which is agreed.

CONFIDENTIAL: Mediation is completely confidential. The discussions and decisions made in mediation are as private as the participants prefer.

CONVENIENT: Mediations are scheduled at a time that is convenient to the parties. Most mediations can be scheduled within a week or two of the parties’ initial contact.

PREVENTATIVE: Through mediation, participants develop a deeper appreciation for the causes and consequences of their and others’ actions. Participants are better equipped to prevent further disputes.

SUSTAINABLE: Mediated agreements reflect participants’ earnest commitments and regularly result in reliable follow through.

EMPOWERING: The participants’ experience, interests, solutions, and voice are the substance of mediation.

INFORMAL: Mediation is a facilitated conversation. There are no unnecessary formalities.

VOLUNTARY: Every aspect of community mediation is voluntary. The participants agree to choose to mediate and any agreement is voluntarily made.

Request a Mediation

Please request your court mandated (Family Court or Court of Common Pleas) mediation below.
Our team will be in contact regarding scheduling finalization and details. Mediation is not scheduled until confirmed by the Mediation Coordinator, Zoey Klein.

Community Mediation

What Community Mediation Is

Why Community Mediation is Offered

Benefits to Community Mediation

Request a Mediation

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