Contact Information
Janie Chandler-Edmondson
P.O. Box 6234
Kamuela, HI 96743
Phone: (808) 885-5525
E-mail: info@whmediationcenter.org
Agency Mission Statement:
Our vision is of a peaceful island where differences bring people together and conflict is viewed as an opportunity to create understanding among those with diverse interests.
Founded in 1988, WHMC is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to help people find peaceful, participatory solutions to the inevitable conflicts that arise in any community. We do this in four main ways: 1) providing mediation services to those in conflict; 2) providing education to youth on the peaceful resolution of conflict; 3) acting as facilitators for group discussions concerning important, potentially conflict inducing issues in the community and 4) training people to act as mediators and facilitators.
Funded Programs:
Training: Through WHMC training program volunteers will learn the skills necessary to become effective mediators. The program also seeks a continued increase in the number of domestically trained mediators in order to meet community needs. Participants who satisfactorily meet requirements outlined by WHMC will become mediators with the center in order to serve the West Hawaii Community. Ongoing advanced trainings are offered to enhance mediators' skill development.
Working It Out: The Working it Out - Peer Mediation program seeks to empower children with effective communication and conflict resolution skills. WHMC seeks to meet our community's needs for conflict resolution education in West Hawaii schools through peer mediation, where students will be instructed and mentored in problem-solving skills and mediation. Students who complete the training process will become peer mediators at their schools and will use the skills learned in the program to assist fellow students in resolving conflicts. The program also provides workshops on communication and conflict resolution for up to 30 students, upon request, to encourage school-wide participation. The intent of the program is to increase conflict resolution skills and decrease violence among elementary and middle school children.
Client Outcome Story:
Training: WHMC has provided training to many community members that serve others. Among our volunteers we have nurses, therapists, teachers, retirees, and probation officers to name a few. These volunteers not only use their skills as volunteer mediators but take what they learn into their homes and workplaces. These skills then benefit patients, children, families and organizations.
Working it Out!: One teacher shared that, at the beginning of the year, there was a lot of time spent intervening in arguments and scuffles between students. However, after encouraging children to mediate, the number of conflicts was reduced. But, an unexpected result occurred. Children began going straight to peer mediators to resolve conflicts and reduced the number of times teachers had to intervene.
