COMMUNITY MEDIATION OUTFITTERS

In unique circumstances where an unmet need for place-based community mediation services (CMS) exists, the Institute guides participatory engagement of community members to build capacity to develop and operate a volunteer-driven mediation center.

We begin by supporting community members in the development of a community mediation center near our main office – in or near Port Townsend, WA.

We propose that the “Quimper” center begin with landlord-tenant and neighbor-neighbor disputes that with good faith resolution will also likely increase affordable housing stock.

Other dispute case types merit consideration. For instance, we also seek to encourage research and development towards resolution of disputes that arise in cases of death/dying between and in families, the institutional elder/hospice/hospital care system.

As Community Mediation Outfitters grows, we plan to share lessons learned towards strengthening community mediation centers more broadly and in cooperation with existing and long-standing regional and national community mediation service networks.

Economics for Peace Institute’s focus, however, remains to advance community research and the-ground.work project.