Utilizing literature and thoughtful discussion, students will learn the basic skills they need to resolve conflict and respect differences in an effort to decrease bullying in our schools and communities.
Manatee and Sarasota Counties are leaders in recognizing and promoting mediation, which is used effectively and efficiently to resolve disputes as an alternative to litigation in our courts. Conflict resolution and the mediation process is being taught and practiced throughout the community as a means towards a more peaceful society. Our Citizen Dispute Settlement Program and volunteer mediators are dedicated to supporting that goal. Utilizing literature and thoughtful discussion, children will learn the basic skills they need to find solutions to resolve conflict and respect differences in an effort to decrease bullying in our schools and communities.
Who we are: We are volunteer mediators and staff from the 12th Judicial Circuit Citizen Dispute Settlement Program (CDSP) in Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties. The program provides a non-judicial, voluntary, and informal opportunity for citizens to address disputes by participating in mediation prior to or instead of litigation. All mediation services are provided by Florida Supreme Court Certified County, Circuit Civil, and Family mediators.
Our Goal: As mediators, we have a passion for resolving conflict. Many of us have devoted our careers and/or donate our time assisting individuals problem solve, by facilitating discussion, identifying issues, and offering alternatives in effort to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. Conflict resolution and the mediation process is being taught and practiced in many school systems in Florida. Our program is dedicated to helping children learn the basic skills they need to resolve conflict, respect differences, thereby decreasing bullying in our schools and communities. We believe even the simplest conflict resolution techniques can instill into young children critical life-long problem solving and social interaction skills. We aim to be role models to young children and provide them with age-appropriate knowledge about what mediators are, what the mediation process is, and how we help people resolve conflict through better communication.
What we would like to offer: Young children are faced with conflict every day. As mediators trained in conflict resolution, we would love to be a positive influence in the lives of the young children in our community. We hope to help them recognize what conflict and bullying is and how to address it among their peers. We would love the opportunity to be invited to your daycare, preschool, program, or organization to read to the students and engage in a fun, interactive discussion. We have selected a variety of age-appropriate books to read to the children. All content for discussion and any reading materials are available for review prior to the volunteer mediator's arrival. In addition, all volunteer mediators have been pre-screened for criminal history by the Dispute Resolution Center when receiving their mediation certification and are screened every two years by our Program in order to be a volunteer.
We would love the opportunity to be invited to your daycare, preschool, elementary school, after school program, or summer camp!
I thought it was inspiring. Now I know when new people come to school they may have been bullied before.
Elyanna Lopez10 year old student
Michelle Artman-Smith ADR Director