Cohousing-L Mailing List: Does your community provide interpersonal mediation?

[Mary Vallier-Kaplan (marycvk]

Greetings friends -

As a 3 year old community, we are still developing infrastructure and
systems to support our community.  We have found the need from time to time
to have available as part of our conflict resolution toolbox a mediator to
resolve differences among individuals in the community.  For example when
one person was offended by the way another person delivered an opinion to
the other and the two parties did not feel that they could resolve the issue
themselves.  We are interested in learning how other communities meet this
need.  We have talked about developing a voluntary peer mediation system but
have had several qualified mediators indicate concern about our doing that
among ourselves, with minimal training and experience etc.  One suggested we
create a pool of funds from our dues to support mediation as needed.  How
does your community meet this need?

Thank you for your help.

Mary

Nubanusit Neighborhood & Farm