The Knoxville Community Mediation Center (CMC) is offering a variety of mediation options during a time when people are not able to resolve the disputes in court or through face-to-face measures. It is an option for neighbors who are having trouble resolving problems or local communities that are faced with disputes they would normally be able to deal with in other ways.

Mediation is a method that allows people to remove many of the common barriers to resolving disputes. It also makes it possible to avoid costly and frustrating courtroom battles. It is a positive and private tool that makes it easier to resolve conflict and to improve relationships in the long-term by allowing people to communicate and get to the root of their issues.

The process of mediation is voluntary, so nobody is forced to negotiate or to accept an outcome that does not make them comfortable. It brings people together to discuss the problem and explore potential solutions, but at the moment, it must be done without in-person meetups. Social distancing has forced those turning to the Knoxville CMC to get creative with their mediation methods.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the CMC is offering free online mediation options that offer the same benefits of in-person mediation.

In addition to online mediation, CMC is also offering one-hour orientation group sessions for community organizations that want to know more about how mediation can help them. If community leaders have not already explored the benefits of mediation, now is a great time to learn more about it. The sessions help people understand how mediation works, what it means to have a successful mediation, and how to find the right mediation tools in any given situation.