Dispute mediation on the increase

More young people and asylum seekers need to use mediation services
to resolve disputes, Mediation UK’s 2002-3 annual report shows.

The voluntary organisation, which provides mediation in the
community, assisted 47,000 people last year.

About 80 per cent of the cases where face-to-face mediation between
disputing parties took place resulted in full or partial agreement.

The disputes it was called on to solve often involved antisocial
behaviour by children and young people. Cases involving young
people at risk of homelessness, asylum seekers and victim-offender
conflicts are also on the rise, the report added.

Shuttle mediation, which involves mediators talking separately to
the parties involved, has a 73 per cent record of achieving full or
partial agreement.

– From www.mediationuk.org.uk