Patent Publication Number: US-2005131726-A1

Title: Turn-key mediation system and method

Description:
Applicant claims the benefit of provisional patent Ser. No. ______ 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      The mediation process is utilized in the court system today. However, formal mediation techniques cannot be utilized in school and community to resolve conflicts between students, teachers and parents. This system and method provides a tailored system and method to support conflict resolution in schools, communities, churches, and youth organizations. Currently, utilized in schools is a peer-to-peer mediation system which may not be as effective because the students in conflict may not feel comfortable being completely open with a fellow student.  
     SUMMARY  
      The system provides the capability of managing the mediator selection process through the school and a method of managing the conflict resolution or mediation process between the two students with conflict. The school requests mediation, the mediation request is confirmed, and a mediator is selected. The mediation process includes specific techniques for forcing communication between the parties and creating a workable resolution between both parities. After the mediation process is complete, the system can include a skill building component for each student.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the overall mediation system.  
       FIG. 2  is a detail block diagram of the specific mediation process.  
       FIG. 3  is a sample mediation request form.  
       FIG. 4  is a sample mediation confirmation form.  
       FIG. 5  is a sample notice to parent form.  
       FIG. 6  is a sample resolution agreement.  
       FIG. 7  is one embodiment of the mediation system implemented as an automated system.  
       FIG. 8  is one embodiment of the system showing the objects to implement the system.  
       FIG. 9  is one embodiment of the system showing the objects to implement the skill building component. 
    
    
     DETAILED SPECIFICATION  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown one embodiment of the overall business method of the present invention. At step  100 , the school generates a request for mediation. The request comprises pertinent school information as well as child information. A sample mediation request is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . At step  100 , the school sends the request to a Market Coordinator. The Market Coordinator is responsible for a specific area Each area is assigned a specific group of mediators which report to the Market Coordinator. A list of mediators is maintained by the market coordinator based upon the type of conflict and the availability of the mediator.  
      At step  110  the market coordinator evaluates the mediation request. If additional information is required by the market coordinator to process the mediation request, the market coordinator contacts the school about the conflict issues between the parties. At step  115 , based upon the conflict issues, the Market Coordinator will appoint an appropriate mediator based upon their experience and availability. At step  120 , a confirmation notice and a parent notice are generated by the Market Coordinator and sent to the school. A sample parent notice is depicted in  FIG. 5 . The confirmation notice is sent to the school confirming the appointment of a mediator and providing a scheduled time for mediation. A sample confirmation notice is depicted in  FIG. 4 . At step  130 , the parties mediate as depicted in  FIG. 2 . In step  130 , the mediator establishes each party position. Then, the mediator makes inquires to each party to resolve the conflict. At step  135 , upon completion of mediation, the mediator generates the agreement between the two parties. A sample agreement is depicted in  FIG. 6 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a detail functional block diagram of the mediation process. At step  200 , the mediator begins the process by outlining the rules of engagement between the two parties in conflict. At step  210 , the mediator starts the process of opening communication between the two parties. In this step, in a face-to-face stance, each party states their position. Then, each party must analyze the other party position on the conflict. After each party performs the analysis, so the two the parties can begin to resolve the conflict.  
      At step  215  in a back-to-back stance, each party begins to intensely reveal their position. In this step the mediator ask a series of questions related to the conflicts. With these specific questions, each party must reveal how they feel about the situation and why they feel the way that they do. Additionally, each party must state whether they feel that they belong to their school community. Next, each party is asked a series of questions to help them understand the conflict versus violence styles. Lastly, each party is asking a series of question to help them exchange roles. The purpose of this step is for each party to better understand each other&#39;s position and enter a stage of feeling remorseful.  
      Additionally, at step  215 , an analysis is done to determine whether the parents of the parties need to be brought in for independent mediation. If yes, then a request is sent to the market coordinator to schedule parent mediation. At step  245 , the steps in  FIG. 1  are repeated for the parent. Then, the parent enters the mediation process at step  200 .  
      At step  220 , each party generates at least one resolution option. Each generated option is analyzed by both parties to determine whether it is a workable resolution. After each option is analyzed, an agreement is generated by the mediator based upon only the workable resolutions.  FIG. 6  is a sample of a Resolution Agreement.  
      As part of the resolution agreement, skill building sessions can be established for each student, parent, or teacher. Thus, after completion of the conflict resolution or mediation process in step  220 , as part of the resolution agreement the system provides conflict resolution educational instruction and skill building to the parties that went through the mediation process. The skill building component utilizes progressive scenarios levels in at least two different levels of conflict resolutions. Each level consists of several domain areas. Within each domain area special conflict resolution scenarios are performed by the student. The system tracks the progression through each domain area. After the student completes each level, then a special program is designed for the student to ensure specialized skill building. The levels and domains are as follows: 
          1. Conflict Resolution Education and Practices     Domain Areas (Vocabulary, Mediator, Bystander, Participant)     2. Interpersonal Conflict     Domain Areas (Conflict Personalities, Conflict with Self, Conflict with others i.e. adults, friend, and family)     3. Community Conflict     Domain Areas (School, Neighborhood, World-Wide)     4. Empowering Resolution.     Domain Areas (Self-Expression, Decision Making, Critical Thinking)        

      Referring to  FIG. 7 , there is shown a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, implemented in a client/server model over a network. Network ( 315 ) can be LAN, WAN, the Internet or an Intranet. Client software ( 300 ) can be an Internet Service Provider browser or proprietary software designed to access the server software. A PC, laptop, notebook, workstation or another suitable system can be utilized to execute the client software ( 300 ). At least one mediation server ( 320 ) implements the functions illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Several clients can access the system. The system can provide a user interface for the following clients: 
          a party client ( 304 ) to do skill building     a market coordinator client ( 302 ) to schedule and confirm mediation     a mediator client ( 301 ) to setup the list and generate the resolution     a school client ( 303 ) to generate the mediation request        

      Several databases can be developed to support this system. Database ( 330 ) of market information stores school to market coordinator information. Database ( 340 ) of mediator information stores mediator to market coordinator information. Database ( 345 ) of party mediation stores information about the parties involved in the conflict and the generated agreement.  
      Referring to  FIG. 8 , there is shown one embodiment of the object modules required to implement the Conflict resolution process ( 320 ): 
          School object ( 400 ) contains the data and operations to support mediation request ( 410 ) and acknowledgement of mediation confirmation ( 425 ).     Market Coordinator object ( 420 ) contains data and operations to support accepting mediation request ( 410 ), issuing confirmation ( 425 ) and issuing notice ( 430 ) to parent object ( 450 ), and assigning mediator ( 435 ).     Mediator object ( 440 ) contains data and operations to support accepting assignment ( 440 ) and initiating mediation ( 455 )     Mediation object ( 460 ) contains data and operations to support the generation of the resolution agreement based upon the data gathered in the mediation process by the mediator.     Skill building object ( 461 ) contains the data and operations to support the party mediation.        

      Referring to  FIG. 9 , there is shown one embodiment of the object modules required to implement the skill building process ( 461 ). 
          Student Module ( 375 ) which contains the data and operations to authenticate the student to the system, to track the progression level of the student in the domain area of a particular skill building level within the knowledge base engine as well as within the student skill building engine, and to track which scenarios the student has failed in each domain area     Knowledge base engine ( 380 ) which contains the base scenarios for each domain area of each skill building level.     Student skill building engine ( 385 ) which contains the scenarios that the student has failed within each domain area of each skill building level.        

      The present invention is not limited to the software design structure as described above.