Building Life Skills With Youth

The Community Mediation Center aims to accomplish a pilot project which implements a culture of peace and justice in schools with the intent that the success of the program will lead to expansion of the processes used. The Center will target three schools in the first year and aims to add three new schools in the second year. The Center will train school staff in interpersonal conflict resolution, conflict resolution skills for students, bully prevention, restorative justice circles and cooperative decision-making. Once the staff is trained, students will begin to learn these skills and will be held accountable to their schools, families and communities for their behaviors. These are skills that are applicable every day and will carry the students through their entire lives. While this process is being carried out, the Community Mediation Center will provide services to the schools that include mediation, anger management, conflict resolution, and restorative justice circles. Measured outcomes will be tracked through record keeping of student suspensions, truancy, disciplinary actions, and attendance and will be reported to OJJDP. NCA/NCF