MV Mediation is pleased to announce a $2,500 grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation to support the Youth Mediation Program and Peace Curriculum. The Peace Curriculum, developed by Executive Director Sara Barnes, is a 10-week conflict resolution and positive communication program designed to teach conflict resolution to the students of Martha’s Vineyard. Using integrative and hands-on activities, students learn to apply skills to resolve conflict in their day-to-day lives.
MV Mediation is pleased to announce a $2,500 grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation to support the Youth Mediation Program and Peace Curriculum. The Peace Curriculum, developed by Executive Director Sara Barnes, is a 10-week conflict resolution and positive communication program designed to teach conflict resolution to the students of Martha’s Vineyard. Using integrative and hands-on activities, students learn to apply skills to resolve conflict in their day-to-day lives.
We are finishing up with the 4th grades at the Edgartown School. Next comes the 3rd grade. We are working on making a role play video with the Charter School group. Our plan next school year is to expand our reach. Do you know of a school where our work is needed? We'd like to get started early in the school year.
In March we collaborated with MV Community Services Island Wide Youth Collaborative and hosted a Teens Life Skills Workshop. Teens participated in interactive conversation and activities where they learned how to make a budget and understand the difference between needs and wants concerning finances and their implication in conflicts and disputes.
This month, MV Mediation Youth Program is excited to join the school communities of the Martha's Vineyard Charter School and the Edgartown School. The MV Mediation Youth Program will teach the processes of conflict resolution and interactive workshops, activities, games, discussions, and role plays, leading to students' awareness of conflict resolution tools and strategies.
This month, MV Mediation Youth Program is excited to join the school communities of the Martha's Vineyard Charter School and the Edgartown School. The MV Mediation Youth Program will teach the processes of conflict resolution and interactive workshops, activities, games, discussions, and role plays, leading to students' awareness of conflict resolution tools and strategies.
We have been in conversation with staff and administrators at several schools to determine how we can best support students, teachers, and the school community with our services. We look forward to including young people in our mission to create an Island of Conflict Resolvers. We will be working with various schools in grades 3 through 12.
Você poderia ajudar com o nosso programa para jovens na ilha? Envie essa pesquisa para jovens entre 13 a 22 anos ou adultos que trabalhem com jovens. Nós precisamos de informação sobre problemas que afetam os jovens em Martha’s Vineyard para podermos ajudá-los.
Você poderia ajudar com o nosso programa para jovens na ilha? Envie essa pesquisa para jovens entre 13 a 22 anos ou adultos que trabalhem com jovens. Nós precisamos de informação sobre problemas que afetam os jovens em Martha’s Vineyard para podermos ajudá-los.
Would you please help our Youth Program? Send any young person between 13 and 22 or any adult who works with youth to our survey. We would like to have a broad cross-section of responses as we seek to understand the conflict landscape for young people here on the Island.
This month we joined seven other island organizations at the Teen Health Fair organized by the Island Wide Youth Collaborative. We were grateful to have conflict resolution skills included in the greater context of what it means to be healthy. We also recruited a few teens for our next Peer Mediation training!
Christina Simmons, Board Member
With the year wrapping up and looking ahead to the future this is a chance to take a step back and reflect on all that we have accomplished. 2019 was a big year for MV Mediation Program. Part of our mission is to use education to encourage constructive dispute resolution. We are proud to have promoted our mission through education and in 2019 expanded our educational programs.
Our educational programs and trainings grow both in the number of trainings and also in the variety of trainings offered. We were able to offer seven programs and courses with most trainings taking place over the course of many weeks. We were also happy to co-sponsor many of these programs with other local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA and local libraries. Here is a sampling of what we offered:
· Mediators Saturdays—Ongoing get togethers for mediators and apprentices to share best practices and build professional mediation skills.
· Conflict Coaching Training—A 15 hour qualification for new Conflict Coaches with an additional apprenticeship process.
· Introduction to Mediation Course—Offered in both the spring and fall each session was a 40 hour training and apprenticeship for MA qualified mediators.
· Spring and Fall Workplace Conflict Workshops—Seven two-hour workshops to support employees, managers and others in creating a healthy workplace with positive approaches to conflict resolution.
· Fall Conflict Management Cohort Course—20 hour course for Supervisors and Managers to develop proactive approaches to conflicts in the workplace.
· Landlord Tenant Workshop—A two hour workshop for landlords and tenants to resolve conflicts and avoid problems with tenancies.
We are working to develop programming for 2020 that meets the needs of our community. There are already an exciting array of offerings. Look above and register on our website or by calling our office.
Do you have an idea of what kind of educational topics we should be developing? Drop us a line and let us know what you would like to learn more about the in the areas of conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution.
Christina Simmons, Board Member
As the holiday season kicks into gear and everyone is busy preparing and shopping we are thankful for the continued support of our donors. Consider how supporting local non-profits can be a meaningful gift that supports the community. Here at MV Mediation Program we never want to have to turn someone away because of their finances.
Here is how your generous donations have supported MV Mediation Program:
Workplace Conflict Workshops
· $ 100 pays for each member of a 10-week confidential cohort course for managers and supervisors
· $ 250 pays for a workshop on conflict management
Family and Divorce mediation
· $180 pays two mediators for one session
· $1000 trains one divorce mediator
Conflict Coaching: A new service available through generous support of the Newman’s Foundation. Two one-hour sessions of free 1:1 Conflict Coaching are available for any community member.
· $ 50 pays one conflict coach per session
Consultative and facilitation services
· $ 400 pays for a two hour consultation
Conflict Resolution Courses
· $ 600 pays for one student to be trained as a mediator
· $ 250 pays for one student to be trained as a conflict coach
Youth Mediation
· $225 pays for one youth mediator to be trained
Sarah Safford, MVMP Youth Coordinator
Our first youth training took place in June. It was very successful with 12 youth mediators completing the course. Learning about conflict, Wampanoag legacy as conflict resolvers, listening skills and the negotiation process these youth mediators were amazing!
Over the summer we also worked on a Youth Mediation Role Play video including a scene of conflict on the water.The edited video will be available on Vimeo to be used as an instructional tool for future Youth trainings. We want to thank MVTV for their support in making this and other videos.
The other part of our Youth Project involved the young people doing historical research and interviews with Wampanoag elders on traditions of conflict resolution. One of the youth mediators assisted in the oral history interviews and eight Wampanoag elders participated.
These interviews are currently being edited and will be available for the ACC to use in their educational programs and exhibits.
Future plans include establishing a regular weekly presence at Alex's Place, the teen center at the YMCA across the street from the high school. We have a commitment from the Y staff to support any mediation activities we want to offer.
Our new Youth Liaison Intern, will assist with recruiting for the next youth training session to be held in November /December and along with me, Sarah S, will be doing outreach to schools, PTAs, and community organizations across the island.
Sara Barnes,
President and Lead Mediator
October 17, 2019 is a worldwide celebration of Conflict Resolution Day. In Massachusetts the legislature has declared the week of October 14-18 Conflict Resolution Week.
Everyday is conflict resolution day at Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Program. Here are a few happenings from last week.
· Working on the Youth Mediation Program—creating partnerships with a youth organization so our mediators have a confidential setting for mediation services.
· Answering inquiries from numerous individuals and organizations who are seeking mediation, facilitation or conflict coaching services.
· Interacting with various divorcing couples and our in-house lawyer who prepares the court packets, in order to finalize divorce documents.
· Workplace conflict session #2 with a cohort of supervisors and managers who are working their way through a published conflict management text.
· Preparation of our quarterly reports to the offices of the Attorney General, District Court, Probate/Family Court and Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration.
· Discussion with a sister mediation organization in order to consider a partnership on a complicated project.
· Preparation for the twice-yearly Introduction to Mediation course fielding inquiries and preparing materials.
· Drop by from a friend of the organization who was thinking about getting involved in MVMP.
· Meeting of the Conflict Coaches to develop their campaign to promote this free service for Martha’s Vineyard residents.
Sometimes we feel like we are in a tiny boat paddling hard against prevailing winds that push in the opposite direction. Your support and belief in our mission—to encourage and assist all residents of Dukes County to resolve conflicts through mediation and other constructive dispute resolution tools—keeps us afloat.
On October 17 we will celebrate Conflict Resolution Day, joining with thousands across the globe who take one day to lift up the notions that conflict resolution is the way forward toward peace and understanding. Add this one on to your list of holidays. Celebrate with MVMP.
