Cambridge and District Community Mediation Service

What Happens if you Contact Us?

Your call will be answered by a trained mediator who will discuss your situation with you, and help you decide if mediation might help. We will discuss with you how best to approach the person you are in dispute with (the other party) to find out if they also wish to use the Service.

If we agree to proceed two trained mediators will visit you, usually at your home, to listen to you. They will then meet the other party. This first meeting is for you to explain the situation from your point of view and try to identify the issues you would like to resolve with the other party.

If you wish to proceed the next stage is usually a face to face meeting with you and the other party and with the mediators.
reach agreement This meeting is always held in a neutral venue and is supported by the mediators who have visited you previously. There will also be a third mediator who acts as additional support for the parties and the mediators but does not take an active role in the meeting.

At the face to face meeting you and the other party will each be given time to speak without interruption. Then the mediators support you in talking to each other and focussing on the future.

If an agreement is reached about the way forward this can be written down but it is not legally binding.

The whole process is voluntary and confidential. Either party can withdraw at any stage. The Service is independent and does not report back to any other organisation.

CDCMS require all those taking part in a face to face mediation to sign the guidelines explaining the terms upon which mediation is arranged. It asks each party to respect confidentiality and to behave in an acceptable manner.

What is Community Mediation?

argument

Mediation is a way of helping people talk to each other and find solutions to their differences. The Cambridge and District Community Mediation Service (CDCMS) is a free service that works with people across Cambridgeshire.

We are here to:

give you a chance to be heard.
help you explore possible solutions.
help you reach an agreement to make things better.

We cover a wide range of disputes including:

Neighbour disputes over fences, hedges, paths, noise, parking, pets and children’s behaviour.
Workplace disputes between colleagues in public or voluntary sector organisations.
Young people and their families where the young person is thinking of leaving or has already left home.

The service is free, voluntary, confidential and independent. We do not take sides or pass judgment. We do not offer legal advice.

Our mediators are all fully-trained volunteers, from different backgrounds.

We cover the following areas:

Cambridge
South Cambridgeshire
East Cambridgeshire
Huntingdonshire*

* Cases are referred at the discretion of the local authority, call CDCMS to discuss.

Does it work?

Mediation can help resolve issues of communication by providing a safe, controlled and impartial setting to talk.

Community mediation is not counselling, therapy or advocacy. It is not part of any legal process. It is voluntary, and confidential.

Mediation does not work for everyone but it can help with many problems. If communication has broken down or become difficult it can be hard to find a way forward. Taking part in mediation can lead to an improvement.