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R e s o l u t i o n s

The Dispute Resolution Center of Yakima and Kittitas Counties

1106 B West Lincoln Avenue,

Yakima, WA 98902 (509) 453-8949

DRC Mission Statement:

The DRC is a private, non-profit corporation established to provide residents of Yakima and Kittitas Counties and other communities with options for resolving disputes themselves, voluntarily, non-violently, inexpensively, and within their own communities. The DRC strives to reduce court congestion, to promote education, training and volunteer opportunities for community members in conflict resolution and prevention.

DRC Staff

Matt Fairbank, Executive Director

Sally Mayo, Mediator and Training Coord.

Anna Almeida Gaines, Office Manager

Dear DRC Supporters,

I am excited to report all the great things that have been happening at the DRC since we last published a newsletter. There are countless ways that conflict resolution and mediation skills can be put in place in our community. Enclosed articles describe many of the partnerships through which we are developing new avenues of creating a more peaceful community. If you have questions about our work, want to request a presentation about the DRC at your club, workplace, or organization, give us a call or drop us an e-mail message. We look forward to sharing our dynamic mission with you and those you serve.

Sincerely,

Matt Fairbank, Executive Director

Newly Certified Mediators:

Celebrations are in order to congratulate and welcome the newest certified members of the DRC’s volunteer mediator cadre. Since our last newsletter, two classes have survived the 40 hour community based basic mediation training. Several members have also gone on to the advanced 20-hour family mediation training and a whole class is waiting in the wings for our next family training which is being held in early February. Our hats off to David Trick, Suzanne Thibault, Gary Way, Stephanie Wise, Don Mayo, Gina Piper and Margaret Smith. At the same time, we project waves of encouragement to Pat Eastwood, Janis Luvaas, Maggie Land, Pam Purvis, Kristina Ferrell, Tanya Martinez, Christine Wildey, Jeff Gibson, Larry Zable and Chuck Vernon who are all on the verge of certification. We are waiting with open arms and eager to help you aboard

Over the eight years of our existence, the Dispute Resolution Center has had as one of its goals, to spread the knowledge and use of conflict resolution skills throughout the two counties we serve. The DRC has taken a strong step in that direction via a grant from the National Association for Community Mediation. Through the grant, the DRC is co-sponsoring, with other community service providers, 5 workshop series on Everyday Mediation Skills. The five-week series includes presentations on communications skills, tenant rights and responsibilities, interaction with the police and creating block watches, managing family finances and conflict resolution skills. Thus far, two series have been held, both in Yakima. A Spanish series is taking place in Toppenish beginning February 4^th with an English series due to begin in Toppenish on March 25^th. An additional series in Spanish will take place later this spring in Sunnyside. (Call the DRC for more information.)

DRC Coordinator of Mediators and Training, Sally Mayo, has been conducting extensive outreach to inform referral sources about the workshop series and to share information with them about the DRC’s work and how to refer clients. The opportunity these workshop series affords the DRC to conduct outreach with community service providers was a key element of the DRC’s grant application.

The series have been well attended. Participants report that they have found the information to be very helpful and have been putting their skills to use over the course of the 5 weeks and beyond. We hope to continue providing similar workshops in the future with local community support.

Senior Mediation Program Development

Over the course of the past 6 months, DRC staff, mediators and community advisors have been exploring extending our mediation services to senior citizens, family caregivers, adult children and senior service providers. The intention of the new service would be to enhance the quality of life for seniors and disabled adults who are experiencing many of life’s transitions and encountering conflicts along the way. People who care for the seniors, service providers, neighbors and businesses with whom they interact would also be aided. Thus far, we have written one grant application to fund a small amount of program development staffing, held an initial In-Service training for volunteers, polled community service providers about the need for the new service and developed a working agreement with the Family Caregiver program to cover mediation costs for seniors and unpaid caregivers. As the program develops we anticipate assisting in cases such as:

Ÿ        Unpaid caregivers and care receivers talking together about how to create a climate of consideration and appreciation so as to reduce stress and improve quality of life for both individuals.

Ÿ        Senior tenants and their landlords and neighbors dealing with housing and neighborhood issues.

Ÿ        Family members trying to work through family conflicts as they make decisions with seniors about transitions (residence, driving, medical decisions, etc.)

Ÿ        Families trying to resolve contentious probate and estate disputes.

Ÿ        Consumer/business disputes in which seniors are involved.

We’ll be holding additional mediator In Service trainings while we seek financial support to develop the program. If you have ideas or input for us on this project, or would like to refer people to the service, please be in touch.

DRC - MADRINA CONNECTION

Last summer, the Dispute Resolution Center began an additional collaboration with the Division of Child Support at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. This collaboration is part of the DCS MADRINA program, an innovative effort by the Division of Child Support to make their services more accessible to Hispanic and Spanish speaking residents of Yakima County. Through the program, natural helpers in the Latino Community have been undergoing training on the services and resources the Division of Child Support provides to families. In addition, the Madrinas have taken the DRC’s Community Based Mediation Training last fall and the Family Mediation training this month. With their training, the Madrinas will help Spanish speaking and Hispanic families connect with the resources offered at the Division of Child Support, and assist families to resolve conflicts regarding parental time with children and address communication difficulties.

In addition the MADRINA program grant will cover the cost of mediation services for families referred through the program when they are trying to resolve conflicts and difficulties between the parents. This collaborative effort builds on the Parenting Access Project through which the DRC has received funding for parental visitation related mediations over the past 3 years. This kind of partnership has great benefits for our communities’ children and families. We look forward to continuing our vital relationship with DCS and see it as a model for developing additional partnerships in the community.

DRC Director serves community mediation field

Matt Fairbank has served over the past 18 months on a National Association for Community Mediation committee reviewing grant applications for small mini-grants to expand and strengthen the field of mediation. About his involvement, Matt states, “ Serving on the committee has been invaluable in helping our own center generate new ideas, think creatively and gain renewed energy about all that can happen through people working together to help their communities resolve conflict peacefully.”

Matt has also been elected as vice chair of the Washington Association of Dispute Resolution Centers for 2002.

The Dispute Resolution Center is a member agency of the Washington State Employee Combined Fund Drive and the United Way of Kittitas County. To find out more about how you can contribute through either program, call the DRC office.