MV Mediation is pleased to announce a $2,500 grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation to support the Youth Mediation Program and Peace Curriculum. The Peace Curriculum, developed by Executive Director Sara Barnes, is a 10-week conflict resolution and positive communication program designed to teach conflict resolution to the students of Martha’s Vineyard. Using integrative and hands-on activities, students learn to apply skills to resolve conflict in their day-to-day lives.
Housing is a core unresolved conflict here on Martha’s Vineyard. That’s why we are so pleased to support Healthy Aging MV with their new initiative called Home Sharing. We will be providing Facilitation and Conflict Coaching services for Healthy Aging participants as the host and guest work out mutually agreeable terms for sharing a home.
Dukes County Housing Authority announces 20 rental units which will be made available through a lottery. Kuhn's Way is in the process of being built. Spread the word about this important opportunity.
Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program
The Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is an emergency housing assistance program to alleviate
financial stress for renters and landlords. ERAP provides rental, [utility], and moving assistance to qualifying
renters facing housing instability and financial hardship due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
For more information please contact us at Admin@mvmediation.org
The Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Program (MVMP) announced in a press release that it is now a part of the Massachusetts Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI), an array of programs that help landlords and tenants resolve conflicts.
Working with other Community Mediation Centers through the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration, M.V. Mediation offers free mediation and other services to support those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
“Housing is crucial. As the winter continues, we know that landlords and tenants are negatively affected by the uncertainty of the present moment,” MVMP executive director Sara Barnes said in the release. “Our mediators can help turn tough times and difficult conversations into self-determined agreements. Housing mediation promotes more effective communication through neutral facilitation as part of the mediation process. Since 1984, we have helped many Islanders resolve conflicts, often without going to court,” Barnes continues.
The new statewide housing mediation effort is part of Gov. Charlie Baker’s EDI program, which works to help prevent homelessness by working to keep tenants stably housed and landlords from mortgage foreclosures.
“We are excited to be able to help bring these services to the Vineyard and to help our community here on the Island to have access to the various organizations and programs that are part of the Eviction Diversion Initiative,” said housing mediation program coordinator Christina Simmons in the release. “We offer services in Portuguese as well.”
Reposted from MV Times
Christina Simmons, Board Member
With the year wrapping up and looking ahead to the future this is a chance to take a step back and reflect on all that we have accomplished. 2019 was a big year for MV Mediation Program. Part of our mission is to use education to encourage constructive dispute resolution. We are proud to have promoted our mission through education and in 2019 expanded our educational programs.
Our educational programs and trainings grow both in the number of trainings and also in the variety of trainings offered. We were able to offer seven programs and courses with most trainings taking place over the course of many weeks. We were also happy to co-sponsor many of these programs with other local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA and local libraries. Here is a sampling of what we offered:
· Mediators Saturdays—Ongoing get togethers for mediators and apprentices to share best practices and build professional mediation skills.
· Conflict Coaching Training—A 15 hour qualification for new Conflict Coaches with an additional apprenticeship process.
· Introduction to Mediation Course—Offered in both the spring and fall each session was a 40 hour training and apprenticeship for MA qualified mediators.
· Spring and Fall Workplace Conflict Workshops—Seven two-hour workshops to support employees, managers and others in creating a healthy workplace with positive approaches to conflict resolution.
· Fall Conflict Management Cohort Course—20 hour course for Supervisors and Managers to develop proactive approaches to conflicts in the workplace.
· Landlord Tenant Workshop—A two hour workshop for landlords and tenants to resolve conflicts and avoid problems with tenancies.
We are working to develop programming for 2020 that meets the needs of our community. There are already an exciting array of offerings. Look above and register on our website or by calling our office.
Do you have an idea of what kind of educational topics we should be developing? Drop us a line and let us know what you would like to learn more about the in the areas of conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution.
