11. Mediation to manage conflicts
11.1. What is mediation?
Mediation is a confident and voluntary conflict resolution process that bets for dialogue and consensus in the face of the problems that arise between two or more people who have difficulties in agreeing. It is a useful instrument to confront conflicts, that is: it avoids evading them and puts them on the negotiating table. The mediator is a professional who, impartially, directs the process so that the parties seek a satisfactory agreement.
Mediation is therefore useful for resolving conflicts by:
- Manage the conflict in an agile way.
- Improve the relationship between the neighborhood.
- Avoid judicialization and avoid the costs derived from it.
11.2. Characteristics of the mediation:
The mediation process is characterized by:
Confidentiality, which implies that the information remains within the framework of the mediation process. All the people who participate in the mediation process, including the mediator, accept the duty of confidentiality.
The willingness of the parties to initiate the dialogue freely, as well as to end it when they wish.
Neutrality and impartiality of the mediator.
11.3. Media cases:
Conflicts between neighborhoods: relationship difficulties, noises (parties, music, screams, extended clothes, smells, domestic animals, etc.)
Conflicts between the community and a neighboring neighbor: defaults, annoying activities, lack of care of common services, etc.
Conflicts of community management: community constitution, works, management of board members or government charges, determination of quotas.
11.4. The Municipal Mediation Mediation Service
What is the Municipal Mediation Mediation Service?
It is a free, confidential and voluntary access service of the City Council of Sant Feliu de Llobregat aimed at citizens to manage existing conflicts or prevent future ones, in a dialogued and collaborative way with the impartial support of the figure of the mediator or mediator.
What conflicts are you thinking about?
- Neighborhood communities: noises, smells, animals, common spaces, community management, defaults, etc.
- Family: misunderstandings, intergenerational problems ...
- Associations: decision making, management ...
- Public space: uses of space, civility, pets ...
- Other disagreements related to citizen coexistence ...
How to request it?
Presenting an instance at the Citizen Attention Office or on the web santfeliu.cat
For more information:
Can Ricart Pl. Lluís Companys, 1
E-mail: mediacio@santfeliu.cat
Phone: 93 685 80 02
11.5. And if mediation does not work?
A judicial process can be initiated.
When direct communication between neighbors and the mediation between them have not been able to resolve the conflict, the last path to which the neighbors can go is to the judicial process.