In addition, referrals to appropriate resources and social services agencies are made as needed, and legal aid workshops given. We also hope to teach classes in anger management and conflict resolution to young people. It is not arbitration where a decision is made for disputants. It is a process in which a mediator assists disputants in talking about the conflict with one another. The process focuses on what each party thinks is important and on what they believe is a fair and equitable solution.
Participants take an active role in deciding if they choose to enter into mediation.
They decide what will be discussed and in what order. They determine whether or not an agreement seems fair. They decide whether or not to enter into an agreement, and they discuss what steps they will take to make sure the agreement is working or how to change it if it is not. Other benefits of mediation include its confidentiality, creativity, flexibility, and convenience. Mediation gives those in conflict the opportunity to talk with each other, discuss their issues, state what a fair resolution is for them, and develop their own agreements with the guidance of a trained, neutral mediator.