• You have nothing to loose. This program is funded by a county grant and is offered at no charge to residents of Cheshire County.
  
  
• Mediation focuses on what can be different in the future rather than what went wrong in the past. This moves conflictual conversations away from a focus on blame and into a process of creating a desired future together.
  
  
• Youth who often don't like counseling have more positive experiences in parent-youth mediation. They find the process more equitable and engage more fully.
  
  
• Objective third parties can help families communicate better than they do alone. Mediation helps families focus on one issue at a time. Slowing the process down helps the parties focus and resolve issues.
  

• Exit surveys of clients are very positive, showing that 74 percent were very satisfied with their mediations, 84 percent reported coming to an agreement. One hundred percent indicated that they learned something about the other person’s feelings, and 95 percent said that they would recommend mediation to a friend or family member.

Benefits of mediation

Mediation provides the parties in a dispute control over the outcome, creating greater satisfaction and an increased likelihood that the final agreement will be carried out. For some, mediation can be a transformative process that helps preserve or even improve relationships.

To hear a radio program with Kate Kerman and Parent Youth volunteer mediator, Mary Cullity, click on this link and scroll down to "Listen to Family Focus" 8/31/06.