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25 Years of Moving from Conflict to Resolution
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What's New
CMS turns 25!
In 2008 we are celebrating 25 years of service to our community.
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CMS featured at Brookdale Regional Center!
During the month of July Community Mediation Services will be featured at Hennepin County's Brookdale Regional Center.
Located on "Main Street", the hallway connecting the Service Center with the Brookdale Library, you will find a display case featuring CMS' services, projects and the proclamation awarded by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners.
Stop by and "visit" us.
Brookdale Regional Center is located at 6125 Shingle Creek Parkway in Brooklyn Center.
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Commissioners form left to right: Gail Dorfman,
Peter McLaughlin, Peeny Steele, Mark Stenglein,
Randy Johnson, Mike Opat and Linda Koblick.
CMS honored by Hennepin
County Board of Commissioners
On Tuesday, May 20th at the Hennepin County Board Meeting the Commissioners recognized CMS for its work in the community. The meeting was held in the County Board Room on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center.
Point seven on the agenda was Commendations. Commissioner Gail Dorfman presented resolution No. 08-0241 honoring CMS for its 25 years of service.
The full text of the resolution reads as follows:
"WHEREAS, Community Mediation Services, Inc. (CMS), formerly the North Hennepin Mediation Program, was established in 1983 to help families, neighbors, businesses, youth and schools resolve conflict outside of the court system; and
WHEREAS, CMS has expanded over the years to serve all of Hennepin County, helping over 8,000 individuals and managing 1,700 disputes in 2007 alone; and
WHEREAS, CMS has over 250 highly trained volunteers providing mediation services, keeping the quality of the services high and the costs low; and
WHEREAS, CMS has doubled the number of volunteers mediating landlord-tenant cases in response to the foreclosure crisis, changing as the needs of our communities change; and
WHEREAS, CMS is an early intervention response, working with low-level juvenile offenders and on cases of student-to-student conflict to prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners thanks and congratulates Community Mediation Services, Inc. for their twenty-five years of service to the residents of Hennepin County."
Resolution No. 08-0241 was adopted on May 20th, 2008.
If you would like to access the agenda and minutes for this meeting click here.
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Getting Along with your Neighbors
We all want to feel comfortable and safe in our neighborhoods. Getting along is part of it.
Here are some tips:
1. Establish good rapport before any conflict arises. A little small talk at the mailboxes or a neighborhood gathering on Neighborhood Night Out can lay the foundation for raising concerns in a respectful manner.
2. Be understanding. If a neighbor has a difficult time with various tasks, you might offer assistance or ideas for outside resources. For example, you might know of a neighborhood teenager who can be hired for lawn mowing, snow shoveling, or dog sitting.
3. Do not be quick to judge. Your early morning lawn mowing may be as irritating to them as their late-night door slamming.
4. Don’t assume. Your neighbor might not be aware of the fact that their dog is barking when they’re gone, or that their son is riding his bike through your yard. Unless you have a concern for your immediate safety, take your concerns directly to them first, without involving third parties.
5. Speak calmly and without accusation, allowing them a chance to respond in a similar fashion. Share your concerns – not your position. (“We’re concerned about mosquitoes breeding in the tires in your backyard.” vs. “Get those tires out of your yard!”).
6. Clarify key phrases and preferred communication methods. For example, does taking care of something “soon” mean this week or this year? Or, if there’s a problem with a child’s activity, should the neighbor talk to the child or the parent? By phone, in person, or in writing?
7. Be open when a neighbor approaches you. Instead of reacting impulsively and defensively, tell your neighbor you’ll “give it some thought and get back to them”.
8. Try mediation.
If approaching your neighbors directly isn’t a good option or isn’t working,consider contacting Community Mediation Services (CMS). CMS’ trained mediators have been helping neighbors work things out for 25 years, with excellent results. Mediation is a voluntary process, takes an hour or two, and helps neighbors resolve current issues while establishing the rapport that will help with future issues. Mediation is convenient and confidential. The staff at the mediation program will help you determine if mediation is an appropriate route for you, and if so, they will contact your neighbor(s) on your behalf.
Download and print the following document and keep it handy.
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Volunteer Mediator appears in New York Times & CNN pieces on the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation process Update
On April 9th, Ahmed K. Sirleaf II was presented with the UST-Law Chapter of Amnesty International's 2008 Human Rights Award.
The University of St. Thomas Law Chapter of Amnesty International supports and promotes the work of Amnesty International USA: "seeking that every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards".
We are proud to announce the coverage that Ahmed Sirleaf's work with The Advocates for Human Rights and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia has had. Ahmed has been a volunteer mediator with CMS since 2003.
In order to promote reconciliation amongst Liberians after two decades of civil conflict, on May 12, 2005 the National Transitional Legislative Assembly enacts the TRC Mandate. Thereby establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Its mandate charges the commission with the responsibility to create an accurate record as a basis for harmony and justice.
At CMS, we have been honored to be a part of this process through the participation of staff and volunteers as trained Statement Takers. As an essential part in this historical process, Statement Takers record the accounts of survivors of human rights abuses and humanitarian violations. In this way the accounts bear witness to the truth and history of the conflict.
With the help of volunteer Statement Takers, Liberians living in Diaspora can participate in this process. The Advocates for Human Rights started this groundbreaking project in 2006.
To learn more about the please visit the following websites:
The Advocates for Human Rights Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia
To read the full article published by the New York Times on September 18, 2007 click on the following link. NYT 091807
See Ahmed's interview on CNN's Inside Africa CNN 012408
Congratulations to Ahmed!
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Two easy ways to make donations to CMS
Good Search GoodSearch.com is a new search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. You use it just as you would any search engine (such as Google), and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results.
Just go to www.goodsearch.com to add the toolbar to your web browser. Go to "add Good Search to your Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Mac toolbar". Click on the yellow arrow and look for the the browser you normally use. Follow the instructions listed under the appropiate browser. Now every time you search on the internet you will be helping CMS raise funds! Just 500 of us searching four times a day will raise about $7300 in a year without anyone spending a dime! And, be sure to spread the word! Note: If you erase the "cookies" on your computer, please make sure to go back to the Good Search home page
and indicate "who you good search for". That way every search will count towards CMS.
Charity Box
Through Charity Box CMS is able to receive direct donations on this website. You can donate using your credit card. Its safe, fast and easy. No need to mail in forms and checks. Go to the donation page and fill in the form!
Thank you for your support!
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