Conflict and Change

About mediation

We always seek to be open and flexible in the way we work, and we have developed our own framework for working with conflict situations, using a conflict life-cycle approach.

What we do

We can help with many kinds of disputes, not just between neighbours. And unlike what you may have thought about mediation, you don't have to meet with the other person or even talk with them. It's our job to do that for you, at least to begin with, and then you can decide what to do next.

• Disputes can be about noise, mess, children and many other things.
• We are not an official or legal body.
• We are independent of the Council.
• We do not take sides.
• Our service is confidential.
• It is free to residents of Newham.
• We also provide a service for housing organisations inside or outside Newham.
• We can arrange for an interpreter to be present where appropriate.

How it works

When you contact our office staff about a dispute, they will arrange for two of our trained volunteer mediators to visit you and the other person. Our volunteers are ordinary people who have been trained in mediation skills, and most of them live in Newham.

• Our volunteers will call on you and the other person (usually at your homes).
• They will listen to what you have to say, and discuss with you how we can help.
• If there are things that you would like the other person to understand, they can try to explain when they visit the other person.
• If you and the other person both want to meet, we can arrange for you both to come to a mediation meeting (usually at our office).
• If you don't want to meet, our mediators can still help you and the other person find a better way forward.

How to refer a dispute

You can contact us by phone or in person if you would like our help with a dispute of any kind, whether it's with a neighbour, or between family members, or within an organisation.

Alternatively, if you are referring a dispute on behalf of a housing association or similar agency, you may prefer to print out our agency referral form and then post or fax the completed form to us.

Muslim mediation

We also work alongside the Muslim Mediation Service, which specialises in working with people in the Muslim community. For details please email mms@muslimmediation.org.uk. or call 020 8432 2805.