ADR

Print Friendly

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a cheaper and faster method of resolving conflict than using the court system. The ADR mechanisms on which the Project concentrates most are:

  • Community Mediation– which is gender responsive mediation whereby a mediator promotes conflict resolution and problem solving for individuals, families, institutions, organizations and other entities within the community; to introduce services at the community level; and
  • Restorative Practices- which is a social science that studies how to build social capital and achieve social discipline through participatory learning and decision making.The use of restorative practices helps to reduce crime, violence and bullying, improve human behavior, strengthen civil society, provide effective leadership, restore relationships, and repair harm (Ted Wachtel, IIRP Founder).  IMPACT Justice has been sponsoring training for educators in these techniques in an effort to reduce the incidence of violence and bullying in schools.

IMPACT Justice has also provided training to civil servants in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago in arbitration and hosted several several community-based peace-building initiatives including:

  1. a pilot project for 2 schools called the Triple H (Help, Hope, Heal) Youth Development Programme which focused on the academic, social and spiritual development of select groups of teenagers; and
  2. a Conference for Indigenous Peoples in the Caribbean to encourage communication and cooperation amongst the various indigenous communities. This conference resulted in the formation of the “Caribbean Network of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples“.

The Project is also:

  • assisting persons trained in community mediation and Restorative Practices in forming networks and associations to continue to put their training to use; and
  • sensitizing the public about ADR and its benefits in an effort to increase its use.

Between April 2014 and March 2019, the Project trained:

  • 627 persons (388 females/239 males) in community mediation;
  • 1007 persons (697 females/310 males) in Restorative Practices, including 12 persons trained as trainers;
  • 21 persons (18 females / 3 males) in Arbitration; and
  • 165 persons (79 females/86 males) completed workshops under the Project’s  community -based peace-building initiative.