How does community mediation work?

 

Mediation services can help you sort out disputes in different ways. Often, they will simply provide good suggestions for ways you can sort things out yourself. Most of the conflicts mediation services get involved with can be sorted this way. 

Sometimes though an approach like this is not the best way forward. In these situations, mediation services will arrange to meet you to discuss things. With your agreement, they will then do the same thing with your neighbour.

After the mediators have heard what you and your neighbour want to happen, they will usually bring you together in a mediation meeting. These meetings are organised so that everyone has a chance to put across their view, and it is the job of the mediators to ensure everything goes smoothly. The mediators manage the meeting and provide a safe space for you and your neighbour to discuss what can be changed to make things better for all involved.

 

About eight out of ten mediation meetings are successful with neighbours working out a solution they can both agree on. If things do not end in agreement, you are free to try other ways to resolve the issue such as going to a lawyer.

• To find a community mediation service in your area see our services near you section. 
• If there doesn’t seem to be a local service for you, contact us.
• For a register of trained mediators – including workplace mediators - visit Scottish Mediation’s website. 
• For family mediation in Scotland visit Relationship Scotland’s website. Relationship Scotland primarily provides mediation in instances of separation or divorce. However, there are some services in their network that can help couples sort out their differences and improve communication.