Using a structured and well tested process, people in dispute are assisted towards resolving their issues by entirely neutral and impartial "mediators" who create the opportunity to clarify the issues from all perspectives and help to explore possible solutions.
A wide range of community problems are addressed by DMS, including noise, boundary disputes, parking, behaviour of pets, sharing of communal space, rubbish, privacy issues, gossip, harassment, garden maintenance and the like.
The mediators are volunteers who give up their time to the community freely, save for recovering expenses. Some of DMS’s mediators are also trained to deal with workplace, family and commercial disputes.
Many of the cases referred to DMS are made by organisations such as the police, housing associations and local councils who pay DMS for its services, but some are from individuals who contact DMS directly. In these cases, the individuals will be asked to make a small contribution to the mediation costs.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, when face-to-face mediation was not possible, DMS rapidly developed their expertise to conduct mediation using technology.
As in so many other organisations, it introduced remote mediation meetings using Zoom or similar.
Although meeting in person has been possible in some cases under a strict protocol, on-line meetings will continue to be a vital tool for the future.
Mediation is growing in popularity as a means of conflict resolution because it takes up much less time and cost than other alternatives and it seeks to find solutions that are to the mutual benefit of the people involved.
DMS is actively seeking to increase its pool of mediators in order to respond to the increasing demand for its services.
If you would like to explore the opportunity to join a team providing a vital community service, then please do get in touch. DMS will ensure that you are given the necessary training and mentoring to enable you to become an effective support for people who are finding it difficult to resolve their problems.
To take the first step, please contact DMS co-ordinator Karen Simpkin on 07423 274429 or email: [email protected] .
• The Devon Mediation Service was formed in 1997 in Crediton by a small group of local people. It was run from the Red House, St Lawrence Green until 2021, when modern technology meant that an office was no longer required. The Service is still very active and now includes parts of Somerset.