You and the other person with whom you have the dispute would meet together with a panel of volunteer mediators in a neutral location to discuss and attempt to resolve your dispute.
Mediation usually involves just one session, about two hours in length.
There is little or no cost involved. Mediation allows you and the other participants to work out a solution together, rather than risking having a Small Claims Court Commissioner make a decision for you. Eighty percent of disputes brought to mediation are settled. You may want to consider mediation before initiating a Small Claims Court action. However, you may initiate mediation even though you have a Small Claims Court action pending.