April 5, 2011

Partnering to Advance the Transformative Dialogue

We are pleased to announce a collaborative project between NAFCM and the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation (ISCT).  Over the past month, we have been working to create a convenient, online platform to advance both the agenda and dialogue surrounding transformative mediation.

Today, we are thrilled to unveil the "Transformative Practitioners & Centers" discussion Group!  This Group, co-hosted by both NAFCM and ISCT, is built upon NAFCM's private Google Groups portal, which functions as both a traditional list serve and an interactive online meeting space.  This platform will provide convenient access to those community mediators and program administrators interested in deepening their knowledge of and commitment to transformative approaches toward conflicts.  

To ensure the highest quality dialogue and latest developments are regularly covered, ISCT has tapped two of their brightest representatives to serve as the Group's managers.  Judith A. Saul and Jody Miller have committed to leading this exciting online exchange.  They will use this new Group to entreat substantive dialogue, foster the exchange and growth of participants' wisdom, and empower those advancing along their transformative path.  

Judith is currently a Certified Transformative Mediator™, a Fellow, and member of the ISCT's Board of Directors.  She previously founded the Community Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. in Ithaca, NY where she served as its Executive Director for 25 years.  Jody is also a Certified Transformative Mediator™and Fellow of ISCT.  She is the current Executive Director of the Mediation Center of Dutchess County in Poughkeepsie, New York.  You can read more about Judith and Jody, including their impressive backgrounds and deep commitment to transformative mediation on the ISCT's website.

This collaborative project reflects the strong, long-standing support NAFCM has demonstrated toward the transformative framework.  We firmly recognize the value of transformative mediation, which is largely viewed as a more holistic and responsive approach toward mediation than alternative models/frameworks/philosophies.  NAFCM works to support the numerous community mediation programs across the country that have adopted transformative mediation as their preferred or exclusive practice.  During 2007 and 2008, we trained 35 individuals representing several community mediation programs throughout the country in transformative practices as part of the Helping Our Military reEnter (H.O.M.E.) program.  Today, through this discussion Group, we continue our support of transformative mediation and those community mediation programs which are interested in or are currently espousing its tenants.   

We look forward to having many of you join us in the rich dialogue occurring within the Transformative Practitioners & Centers discussion Group.  We also graciously thank ISCT, Judith, and Jody for their continued support of community mediation and for working to make this collaboration possible.

In community,
Executive Director, NAFCM

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