MEDIATION MUSINGS

Sara Barnes, Executive Director

Processions

Thrum. Thrum. Bong. Bong. Step. Step. The sounds of the Queen of England’s funeral events had a somber musical score to match the occasion. A riveting theme for Britain and around the world. Throngs of well-wishers lined the avenues. Some commented that, despite the deep divides in that county and the vestiges of the colonial empire, the event of her death was uniting. At least for a historical moment. 

The procession of the forty-eight migrants who arrived on Martha’s Vineyard lacked pomp, pageantry, as well as the precision planning such as that involved in the royal ceremonies on the other side of the Atlantic. I imagine the quiet of an Island late afternoon with birds chirping and leaves rustling as these displaced humans arrived, unannounced, at the Community Services campus. Within hours, though, scores of Islanders learned about these people who needed help. United around an unforeseen set of events, locals saw to it that emergency arrangements were made, Spanish speakers enlisted. Food, shelter, medical attention, and legal help were organized. It took no time at all to create bonds of human kindness. As they left three days later, a throng of well-wishers lined up to say goodbye, one by one, to each of the visitors.

The juxtaposition of these two current events has stayed with me. As I have taught, mediated, facilitated, and administrated this week I’ve held on to the idea of creating a community of kindness and service. It’s not unrelated to conflict resolution work. We humans yearn to be part of a community to which we belong. Conflict can be avoided when a bonded group can unite around a common purpose and see themselves as part of an us--instead of distancing from others and sorting those others into a them.

Read the rest of Mediation Musings here

DEIJ + B

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging

MVMP is pleased to be one of ten organizations selected to participate in a multi-session intensive training on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEI J + B). In August, our staff participated in a kickoff session hosted by the MVNC in collaboration with Vernetta Walker & Associates Consulting and Sage Consulting Network. Prior to the session, staff had the opportunity to complete individual assessments to explore levels of understanding and comfort discussing topics like equity, structural racism, white dominant culture, and implicit bias. It was great to share observations in person with members of the 2022 cohort. 

We look forward to staff and executive board members participating in upcoming sessions: Reimagining and Deepening Impact; Taking Action; and Peer to Peer Sharing. We are continuing the important ongoing process of organizational exploration, prioritization, and growth as we support and promote transformational change in our community. 

RE-ENTRY PROGRAM

Making the Transition from Incarceration to Community Easier

Re-entry Mediation is FREE to:

• Incarcerated individuals––pre-release
• Recently released individuals––post-release

Re-entry mediation is an opportunity to make plans for the future. These mediation sessions can include up to three people––the individual’s family, friends, workplace associates, fellow church members, etc. Participants should be individuals who are important to the person who is or was incarcerated and who would benefit from a conversation in a neutral and safe setting. All cases are confidential.

For pre-release cases, the sessions are between the incarcerated person and a person of their choice. All participants are cleared by the incarcerating institution. Once clearance is completed, the participants meet with with two mediators who have completed specialized training in re-entry mediation. For post-release cases, the participants meet together through Zoom, and those cases are handled by the re-entry mediators through the mediation program.

 More information check out our flyers for Pre-released and Post-released individuals.

Please email info@mvmediation.org or call 508-693-2999.

HEALTHY AGING and MV MEDIATION 

and their new 

HOME SHARING PILOT PROGRAM

Housing is a core unresolved conflict here on Martha’s Vineyard. That’s why we are so pleased to support Healthy Aging MV with their new initiative called Home Sharing. We will be providing Facilitation and Conflict Coaching services for Healthy Aging participants as the host and guest work out mutually agreeable terms for sharing a home. 

Find more information on their website: healthy aging or check out their digital brochure here.

Introduction to Mediation Course

Our next Introduction to Mediation Course will begin on Tuesday September 27, 2022. There are two sections.

Section One: Mediation Basics––6 sessions Tuesdays September 27–November 1

Section Two: Mediation Qualification––6 sessions Tuesdays November 15–December 20.

The cost for each six-session course is $150–$350 based on your ability to pay. Scholarships are available. Mediation Basics is available for in-service teachers for no fee––PDPs available. Please email info@mvmediation.org for more information or register here.

Take a Course This Fall

"MV Mediation has great courses! You should learn with them. Great people, and I had fun."  That’s what one of our participants said after taking two courses. Here is the schedule for our fall courses. Sign up today. Course schedule

Financial Conflicts and Financial Conflict Coaching

Conflicts are often driven by financial matters. Here are some tools and strategies to get a better handle on your finances. Self-help financial tools.

"Hidden Brain" is one of our favorite podcasts here at MV Mediation. They are providing insight into financial management issues. Check this out: Hidden Brain

Workplace Conflict Management



MV Mediation provides support to resolve conflicts in the workplace. We provide workshops and develop conflict resolution projects with workplaces, nonprofit organizations, and municipal and trades workplaces.

We offer a spring and fall session of our confidential Workplace Management Cohort for supervisors and managers. This course is a popular offering. If you would like to sign up to be part of our next course, sign up here. Fall 2022 Workplace Cohort.

Email info@mvmediation.org or call 508-693-2999 for more information.

Conflict Coaching Can Help You

It is not therapy. It is not advice. So, what is Conflict Coaching?

Conflict Coaching is a one-on-one process, with the client and a coach working collaboratively. The process usually takes place over two one-hour sessions. Click here to make your appointment today! There is no charge for this service for the remainder of 2022.

This month’s links for your reading pleasure

• Handling your feeling

• Why are employees quitting 

• Discussing sexting with your teens

• Important to not misgender

• Code switching an important DEI topic

We hope these articles are helpful. Reach out if you have found a resource to share.

MV Mediation Youth Program

Meet our new Youth Coordinator, Gail Gardner

Greetings. My name is Gail Gardner and I am a lifelong resident of Martha’s Vineyard. I attended the Edgartown School and the MVRHS before going to college at UMASS Amherst. I am currently the Instructional Technology teacher at the Edgartown School, teaching computer skills to students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. During my tenure as a teacher, I have obtained two master’s degrees, the first in Education in Instructional Technology and the second in Educational Leadership and Management. My husband and I have three grown children. Our oldest daughter is working on her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, our son is serving in the US Marine Corps, and our youngest is exploring and traveling the world for a few years. I look forward to working with Island youth in a new way, helping them to learn the valuable skills of conflict resolution and mediation. 

I recently completed my qualification course work as a Massachusetts mediator and am working to complete my apprenticeship. I will be taking the Conflict Essentials Course in October. I am very much looking forward to working as the Youth Mediation Coordinator at MV Mediation and I’m grateful for the training and warm welcome that I’ve received here so far. 

Mediators’ Check-in

 We are going to have a monthly rotation as follows:

• First Wednesday––Tips for mediators and coaches
• Second Wednesday––Diversity topics
• Third Wednesday––Meet our mediator
• Fourth Wednesday––Role play and/or case study

Here is the schedule as we have it planned so far:

• September 21––Meet our mediator--David Ross. Here's his bio 
• September 28––Role play––handling the nonlinear thinker
• October 5––Tips from conflict coaching that can be applied in mediation
• October 12––Diversity––pronouns, gender identity, and updating our language/thinking
• October 19––Meet our mediator––Louis Pashman. Here's his bio.
• October 26––Stuck in the storytelling phase––listening for the conflict

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86378014243

Board of Directors’ Corner

The Board of Directors met in September and celebrated our new grants, including those for Operating, Youth, Re-Entry, Housing, and Diversity. Decisions were made about our next steps with succession planning; we will be searching for a new Executive Director to join us by June 2024, and Sara will be taking on a new role as Educational Director. A highlight of the gathering was meeting Agnes Kittoe-Affum, our new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging consultant. In October we will discuss our yearly donor drive to help support our Family program and to help us to keep our services and courses affordable for all.

Divorce, Family & Conflict Resolution



We offer help talking with your spouse or partner about divorce, parenting issues, custody schedules, financial decisions, and communication itself, and can help you to renegotiate existing plans. We also work with reconciling couples and those who have conflicts they need help to resolve.

info@mvmediation.org or call 508-693-2999

Divórcio, Disputas em Família e Resolução de Conflitos

Conflitos entre marido e mulher, pais e filhos, problemas conjugais, com parceiros ou entre familiares, divórcio, custódia e visitação de menores, pensão alimentícia, divisão de bens e possível reconciliação.

info@mvmediation.org or call 508-693-2199

Conflict with Tenant or Landlord?



We offer FREE MEDIATION for housing cases in Dukes, Barnstable, and Bristol Counties.

Email admin@mvmediation.org or call 508-693-2199

Our Mission

To serve our community by providing education, outreach,

mediation, conflict coaching, facilitation,

and related services to help prevent and resolve conflicts.

Our Vision

To create an island of competent, capable, and

effective conflict resolvers.

Why I Mediate

"Mediation enables parties to talk to each other in a safe setting. When the mediator controls the room as a neutral person instead of lawyers and the judge in court, people feel more comfortable to open up and make a valuable contribution towards a common solution." 

––Paula Reidbord, Housing Coordinator

Thank you, Martha's Vineyard Non-Profit Collaborative, for including us in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Intensive Leadership Program led by Dr. Robin Stacia and Vernetta Walker. 

Thank you, Martha's Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation, for

our Portuguese Translation, Interpretation, and Services Grant.

Thank you, Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, for giving financial support for our Youth programs and for being a part of our vision: 

An Island of capable, competent conflict resolvers.

Thank you, Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration, for advocacy in the state legislature for mediation and conflict resolution programs.

Thank you to our donors and sponsors for your continued support!