In life, conflict is unavoidable. Agreements aren’t always easy to reach when working with others. However, disagreements may escalate to the point where they require outside assistance to resolve. EAC Network’s Long Island Dispute Resolution Centers (LIDRC) — which recently swore in 16 peer mediators from Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School (ABGS) in Hempstead to augment its robust peer mediation programming—is improving the quality of life on Long Island through the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
What is the LIDRC Program?
It is a voluntary conflict resolution program that helps individuals, families, businesses, and the community at large resolve disputes. LIRDC is available to residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties to help resolve a wide range of disagreements, including:
- Family Conflicts
- Special Education Issues
- Community Disputes
Types of LIDRC Dispute Resolution Services
Our voluntary conflict resolution program uses a neutral third-party mediator to help participants reach a satisfactory resolution. Depending on the situation, conflicts may be resolved by one of these types of mediation:
- Arbitration
- Conciliation
- Mediation
- Surrogate Decision Making
How Dispute Resolution Services Are Helping Our Youth
A part of EAC Network’s family and community services, LIDRC coordinates youth peer mediation programs with Long Island schools, like the ABGS Middle School. With the assistance of Nassau County District Court Judge Joy Watson, this partnership has helped to resolve conflicts and provide communications skills training to improve the overall school climate.
Peer mediation programming helps students and teachers develop skills and strategies to resolve conflicts peacefully and productively. Through the mediation process, participants often identify underlying issues at the root of the conflict that they might not have otherwise recognized.
The positive results of this program speak for themselves – less physical fighting, truancy, and suspensions.
Peacefully Resolving Conflicts is in Everyone’s Best Interests
We help create the peaceful resolutions of conflicts in a win-win collaborative setting rather than the win-lose setting of the court system. Focused on compromise, mediation more often than not results in mutually satisfactory resolutions.
LIDRC’s mediation programs substantially benefit not only its participants but also the community at large. The mitigation of conflicts has the potential to save money, time, and resources as well as limit life and business disruptions.
LIDRC is Currently Providing Virtual Services
EAC Network remains dedicated to providing dispute resolution services while also adhering to critical safety and health measures. Our dedicated, trained staff is currently providing no-cost services via a virtual platform, Cisco Webex, and/or via telephone conference call.
Join us in Building a Stronger and Safer Community
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer mediator, contact our office at 516-489-7733 ext. 160, or please click HERE. To support LIDRC’s mission with a contribution, click HERE.
