Section:
Program Areas
Benefits of Peer Mediation & Conflict Resolution
Gang Intervention
Youth Peacemakers Club

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Program Areas

• Peer Mediation (ages 12 to 18): This onsite 16-hour course trains young people how to mediate issues between their peers so they can become active participants in the peacemaking efforts within their environment. A peer mediation program can be established at Middle and High Schools, Community Organizations and Neighborhood Recreational sites. Our training includes onsite program implementation whenever appropriate to ensure program sustainability.
• Peace Corner (ages 5 to 11): A Peace Corner is a space within a classroom or recreational area designed specifically for conflict resolution. This onsite 8-hour training teaches children how to use the peace corner effectively to help themselves as well as their peers resolve conflict issues in a peaceful way. A Peace Corner can be established at Elementary Schools, After-School Programs and Neighborhood Recreational sites.
• Conflict Resolution Workshop (all ages): Our customized conflict resolution workshops deal with topics such as conflict styles, communication skills, brainstorming techniques, diversity, mentoring and parent-teen relationships. They usually last between 1 to 2 hours and can be taught independently of each other, depending on your organization’s specific needs.
• Gang Prevention & Intervention: Unmanaged youth conflict can increase the risk of substance abuse, gang-related activity, dropout levels, and low self-esteem among youth. We are currently working in Virginia Beach -- holding workshops that target youth that have displayed gang-related activity. These workshops help youth realize the decisions they make, how they can mend broken family relationships, and realize actions that can help them obtain their goals. These workshops are also accompanied by family mediations, in hopes to improve family communication and repair family relationships.
• Developing Youth Peacemakers - Staff Workshop: This onsite 3-hour course trains staff how to implement peer mediation and peace corner programs at their organization. The course includes the latest information on how to best engage and empower young people to become part of the peacemaking process in their community.
• Conflict Resolution & Anger Management Training : Our Conflict Resolution & Anger Management Training, which is held in Virginia Beach, teaches young people ages 12-18 how to develop strong conflict resolution and mediation skills. Our training is interactive and based on the specific needs of referred youth. Skills taught include: definition of conflict and violence, individual conflict styles, listening skills, I-messages, paraphrasing, dealing with anger, identifying personal needs and stress management.

How does mediation training benefit youth?

• Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation teach kids that it is possible to develop positive and powerful relationships with others, instead of violent and coercive ones. Meaningful relationships are based on honest and clear communication, not on power!!!
Peer Mediation trainers become positive role models in the lives of kids who often don’t have a trusted adult to lean on. The ability to trust is essential for kids to develop in a healthy manner.
• Peer Mediation training emphasizes the positive aspects of kids – their ability to make good choices, their capacity to empathize with their peers and their desire to live in an environment where conflict is dealt with in a peaceful manner, instead of using violence.
• Peer Mediation training teaches kids not to be simple observers in life, but actual contributors who can truly make a difference in the world! Therefore, peer mediation training offers kids an opportunity to become an active member of society!

Click here to read what one client says about using Peer Mediation!

Why should you want a conflict resolution program?

Did you know that almost 30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both? According to the University of Virginia, 100,000 students carry a gun to school and 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month. In one local high school, CMC's records show that 49% of students said they have used physical violence to solve a conflict, that 35% do not feel safe in their school and 51% see violence more than once a week at their school

Think about the last fight you or your teen had...it probably wasn't that long ago. Rumors, name calling, threats, and issues dealing with personal property are just some of the common causes of conflict among young people. Unless these disagreements are resolved, conflicts build with harmful consequences such as hurt feelings, lost friends, or more serious violence. Peer mediation is a process that helps reduce conflicts and fighting. It is an option you can choose instead of name calling, yelling, or letting conflicts grow until they explode into violence. Communities with Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Programs find they have fewer conflicts. When conflicts do occur they are usually resolved more quickly and more easily. Another plus is the more positive, productive, and more peaceful atmosphere.

How does conflict resolution work?

• Trained mediators help peers work out their differences for a Win/Win Situation!
  
• Peer mediators guide the process.
  
• An atmosphere of communication and cooperation brings mutual respect, which is another building block for a strong community.
• A mediator is NOT a judge and does not take sides in the argument. Rather, they keep information confidential, remain neutral, and help those in conflict come to an agreement.

Gang Intervention

Community Mediation Center is the only non-city agency involved in Virginia Beach's Changes Program - Gang Prevention & Intervention. Our Gang Intervention partnership with Virginia Beach includes a 24 week program, and the program has been offered 3 times.

Before entering the program, the teens are recommended by a community member, judge or probation officer. Then they participate in a screening process to asses their interest and commitment, and to get their parent(s) involved. Through the program they participate in workshops & they also have the opportunity to do a parent-teen mediation, aimed at repairing broken trust, damaged relationships.

The teens learn about anger, conflict styles, and spend a lot of time trying to understand why they need to change their current life path, identifying what’s missing in their lives, and preparing themselves for success in the next few weeks as they learn how to change.

We are so proud of the participants. Here are our most recent results!

1. 100% of kids who just completed the program felt it made a significant positive difference in their lives
2. 100% of kids stated their gang activity had completely stopped, even if they still talk/hang out with the same group of people in their neighborhood
3. 100% are currently enrolled in school (or GED program) and doing better than they were before they started the program
4. 100% of kids state they learned how to handle conflict in positive ways, and feel better prepare to deal with problems
5. 100% of kids state they have a better relationship with their mothers than before program started
6. 1 young man now plans to become a parole officer, so he can help others that might find themselves in the same situation he was in before the program
7. 100% of kids would recommend the program to others

Youth Peacemakers Club

The program is open to all high school students in Hampton Roads. If you have completed peer mediation training through your high school, then you are automatically enrolled. If you have not, then just send us an email and we will get you signed up!

Teens should know...

• We don't always create the conflicts that enter our lives, but we can always choose how to respond to those conflicts.
• Good listening skills are important! Remember to keep eye contact, listen without interrupting, avoid giving your opinion or criticizing the person you are listening to, and always validate the person's feelings.
• Make a commitment not to contribute to violence in any way. Do not bully, tease, or spread negative gossip about others. Respect others and value differences. Try to broaden your social circle to include others who are different from you.
• Learn about ways to resolve arguments and fights without violence and encourage your friends to do the same. Many schools, churches, and after school programs offer training in conflict resolution skills.
  

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