Our solutions provide opportunities for Asset Based Community Development. We work to empower the entire community.

Problem

The Community Mediation Project is an effort to resolve conflicts between individuals, groups, communities, and organizations. It strengthens relationships in communities and connects groups that otherwise would not work together. Communities that implement community lead mediation programs see a reduction in crime and increased vitality.

Solution

The Community Mediation Project trains mediators who will facilitate discussions about community conflict and walk all parties involved through the mediation process to find a solution that serves the entire community. Mediation is often used if a court is case pending, but not necessary to seek mediation services. Studies suggest mediation programs improve cohesiveness of diverse communities. Our goal is to provide community mediations in high risk communities to decrease rates of violent crimes and criminal activity. We plan to focus on youth and young adults from 14-35 in homes and neighborhoods most effected by poverty and criminal activity. We train community members to become mediators and plan activities that discourage crime in these areas.

Example

We address emerging community issues, community organizing, and collaboration strategies. We produce short films and vlogs on our website www.hhc.414.org highlighting the coalitions and speak out sessions to identify the problems. We choose the issues to highlight on the website to encourage conflict transformation. When an issue affects the entire community, we organize community mediations in which stakeholders collaborate to eliminate or reduce the community problem. We also offer the following mediations upon request: Family Mediations – youth behavior, school intervention, family contracts, communication tools Neighbor Disputes – barking dogs, property lines, noise, threats, trespassing, and easements Landlord/Tenant Conflicts - refund of security deposits, damaged property, rent owed or repairs needed Customer  and Business Issues -  quality of workmanship, payment plans, negotiations, payment for work, division of goods, rentals Friends and Associates – money owed, communication problems, threats, phone calls, use of a vehicle, roommate issues, relationships, assaults Small Claims – disputes over money, goods or services Personal Property  - car accidents, stolen goods, damage to a home or other property

Marketplace

In 2011 Eternal Sunshine Productions established a membership to the National Association of Community Mediation, and is currently training community members to be Mediators in neighborhoods that lack engagement activities. The Milwaukee Community Mediation Center is an organic effort designed to encourage people to choose mediation in situations where conflict occurs without being motivated by alternatives to sentencing or fines. We refer to this as Proactive Communication, a tactic to recognize conflict before it becomes uncontrollable in an effort to reduce crime and violence. Currently we do not have any direct competitors, as our work is highly collaborative