- Conflict is defined as differing or opposing needs, wants, or expectations. Conflict occurs whenever our assumptions or expectations don’t match with someone else’s assumptions or expectations.
- Conflict can be dealt with in a constructive manner that will enable resolution and relationship repair.
- Conflict is not necessarily good or bad and is a natural element of relationships.
Our Services
Mediation Services
Living together in a community can be challenging. Not all people experience events in the same way and when you find you are in conflict – there is help. Mediation provides the time, space, process, and facilitators to have an open and honest and respectful conversation to gain understanding of one another’s concerns and together, to explore options for resolving it.
Why Mediation?
Conflicts
Mediation
- To resolve or settle conflict by working with all the parties in conflict: mediate a neighbourhood dispute
- To bring about (a resolution, for example) by working with all the parties in conflict
- To work with two or more residents in order to bring about an agreement, resolution or compromise
- To settle or reconcile differences
Goals
- To encourage open, honest and respectful communication
- To share your story
- To hear the others’ story
- To understand the others’ story
- To work together to develop possible solutions
- To work together to create a solution that meets the needs of those involved
Benefits
- Creates safe space for difficult conversations
- Creates opportunity for insight and empathy
- Agreements are made by the participants, to fit the individual situation
- Typically greater success than third-party imposed decisions
- Complements policing and legal systems
- Less expensive than legal avenues
- Encourages open and honest communication
- Helps to develop effective communication
HOW CAN MEDIATION HELP?
Some of the disputes that SCCM can help with are:
Neighbourhood
- Pets
- Parking
- Noise
- Property Lines
- Trees
- Good Neighbourship
Family
- Conversations amongst families to build or repair relationships
- Household responsibilities, curfews, communication
- Aging parents
Community Organization
- Sport teams
- Community organizalions
- Community leagues
- Condominium Associations
- Not-for-Profit/Board of Directors
There are so many ways in which SCCM can help.
Please take a moment to call us to discuss your options.
Our services are:
- Readily accessible
- Confidential
- Voluntary
- Free to Strathcona County residents
- Complementary to existing legal and civil systems
- Delivered by trained mediators
- Offered in an unbiased and supportive environment
Mediation can help you to clear up misunderstandings, share what is important to you, learn what is important to the other people involved, form creative options, and create a solution that works for everyone.
How do I get started?
- Call our office at (780) 464-8445 or email communitymediation@sccm.ca
- Share with us a brief description of the challenge you are facing
- We will explain how the process works and what you can look forward to
A case-builder will:
- Help each person involved prepare for the mediation by helping you consider the issue, perceptions, triggers, wants vs. needs, responsibility in resolution, process, and alternatives to mediation
- Follow up with all participants after the mediation
A mediator will:
- Remind all involved of what to expect in the mediation
- Help all involved agree on the mediation guidelines
- Remain neutral
- Create a safe environment
- Ask questions only to guide the conversation
- Encourage honesty, openness and respect
- Assist with writing the resulting agreement
