The Ten Point Model of Community Mediation in Maryland

1. Train community members - who reflect the community’s diversity with regard to age, race, gender, ethnicity, income and education - to serve as volunteer mediators.
   
   
2. Provide mediation and conflict resolution services at no cost or on a sliding scale.
   
   
3. Hold mediations in neighborhoods/communities where disputes occur.
   
   
4. Schedule mediations at a time and place convenient to the participants.
   
   
5. Provide mediation at any stage in a dispute.
   
   
6. Mediate community-based disputes that come from diverse referral sources, such as community organizations, police, faith-based institutions, courts, community members, government agencies, and the center’s outreach activities.
   
   
7. Educate community members about mediation and conflict resolution.
   
   
8. Maintain high quality mediators by providing intensive, skills-based training, apprenticeships, continuing education and ongoing evaluation of volunteer mediators.
   
   
9. Work with the community in governing community mediation programs in a manner that is based on collaborative problem solving among staff, volunteers and community members.
   
   
10. Provide conflict resolution services to community members who reflect the community’s diversity with regard to age, race, gender, ethnicity, income education, and geographic location.