2025 PEACEMAKER AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN
Greenville, SC – The Upstate Mediation Center (UMC) is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2025 Peacemaker Award. This distinguished award recognizes individuals who have made…
Who We are
The Upstate Community Mediation Center is a non-profit organization that offers a voluntary alternative to the adversarial Court process by resolving disputes through use of mediation. We aim to promote the use of mediation and other non-adversarial means of resolving conflicts and to nurture peace by restoring and strengthening family, business and community relationships.
How We Started
In Greenville County, mediation is required before a final order is issued in Family Court, Common Pleas Court (with some limited exceptions) and, since 2007, Probate Court. The result has been that many cases settle either during or soon after the mediation, thereby easing the courts’ caseloads and saving litigants time and money. Like many good ideas, however, mandatory mediation had an unintended consequence in that parties with little or no financial resources now faced an additional expense. Private mediators in the Greenville area charge from $175 to $350 per hour, which can be prohibitive for many people. Thus was born the Upstate Mediation Center, a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization which provides mediation services at a flat rate based on income and which does not refuse services because of an inability to pay. The parties often do not have lawyers and are not familiar with the legal system. The UMC is unique in the Upstate; in fact, the only other similar organization in the state of South Carolina is located in Columbia.
Helping from within the community
The types of mediations offered at the UMC are as varied as the people who walk through the doors. Issues range from the allocation of property when a church membership divides to repairing family relationships that have been ruptured for generations. In addition to court-mandated mediations, the UMC is implementing new programs addressing the needs of people facing challenges caused by increased economic stresses. All of this requires more mediators — people of diverse professional and community backgrounds — who are willing to be trained in mediation skills and to volunteer a few hours a month or a year. The UMC uses trained lay and attorney mediators, all of whom generously volunteer their time and expertise. It also requires increased financial support so that the UMC can continue to provide services at affordable rates.
Upstate Mediation Center Announces 2024 Peacemaker Award
The Upstate Mediation Center (“UMC”) is delighted to announce Halla Banafa as the 2024 Peacemaker. As the Director of Residential Services at Pendleton Place, Ms. Banafa has been a transformative…
UMC hosts FREE Lunch & Learn: Naming and Framing Community Issues
The UMC will host a Lunch & Learn on Naming & Framing Community Issues. This session will be led by expert Erin L. Paseur Oeth, M.Ed. During the session, participants…
Our Impact
Since its founding 20 years ago, countless UMC volunteers have helped literally thousands of parties settle their differences. Due in large part to the current economic conditions, the demand for services has increased dramatically.
Since 2009, the UMC had expanded its services and clients served at a rate of 10% per year.
Our Mediation Services
See the types of cases we mediate and get more information about the type of mediation you need.
News
Read about what Upstate Mediation Center is up to and how they’re impacting others.
