MEDIATION SERVICES

It is anticipated that the provision of an independent Mediation Service within the areas WDH operate, facilitated by the successful tenderer will make a significant contributions to WDH’s Vision to 2020 and will aim to; • Reduce crime and fear of crime, by resolving disputes before they reach the stage where a crime is committed. • Provide value for money, by efficiently facilitating sustainable resolutions to disputes.

Appropriate disputes will be diverted away from costly enforcement procedures, thus releasing time and resources of WDH, and other agencies for more serious community problems where an enforcement response is required. • Promote skills and capacity within the local community, by recruiting, training and using local mediators in the delivering the service, and by general training and awareness raising within the community in the potential that mediation and constructive conflict resolution offers. • Promote constructive conflict resolution by enabling disputes to be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties and by establishing an alternative method and standards for resolving disputes in the community. • Promote health and community cohesion by promoting a process of conflict resolution in which the parties identify, choose and agree the solution themselves.

Empowering people to resolve problems themselves can improve confidence, self motivation and commitment to the wider community.