APRIL 2016 • Volume 12 • Issue 04 What if all confl icts could be resolved this way? 17 BY MARK KLEINMAN Executive Director of Community Mediation Services Conflict is one of the most common elements of life. It occurs during mundane interactions and appears as international crises. CMS has been developing programs and implementing training models for the past 35 years that enable people in conflict to have respectful dialogues and develop creative solutions to their differences. We use mediation, group and community dialogues and a range of trainings that apply to virtually every context: neighborhood, family, groups, employment, housing, schools, organizations, boards, businesses, bias issues, minor crimes, civil suits, criminal acts, elder issues- -just about anything that involves two or more people. Our mediation training is court certified; completion is a basic requirement to be on court panels. Our training institute also holds training workshops in divorce mediation, parent-teens, veteran mediation, as well as tailored conflict resolution and communication skills seminars. In addition to the training that is program-centered, CMS has training adapted for businesses and corporations in the following subject areas: having difficult conversations, collaborative supervision, facilitating team projects, the supervisor as mediator, the manager as mediator, large group facilitation of conflicts as well as organizational development. Our training enables the parties to better understand the issues as well as each other and make thoughtful and wiser decisions. We have honed our skills over the years working in the most problematic situations in society: We have been part of the evolution of child welfare from criminalizing to supporting, diverting over 21,000 families from the family court to supportive counseling; We have been a participant in reforming juvenile justice, diverting over 5,000 youths from family court to mentors and mediators; We have been advocates for children by developing the first custody mediation program in all the family courts, diverting over 1,500 sets of parents annually from the court to mediation with over 75% success. As the community mediation center for Queens we have mediated 1,800 cases per year for the past 20 years. Our programs focus on people in crisis: families at risk of losing their children to foster care, juveniles in danger of placement, youths 16-24 on probation who are at risk of recidivism, and youths in danger of dropping out of school. We have approached these issues creatively, using evidence-based approaches to work closely with city agencies as well as the court system. Through these experiences we have learned how to transform anger into understanding and move people in conflict from intransient positions into effective problem solving. Those in real estate management have asked for mediation of neighbor conflicts, while coop boards have employed mediation for difficult situations within buildings. Other businesses have used mediation between suppliers and retailers, while many companies employ mediation between supervisors and their direct reports, as well as between colleagues. And once staff has been trained in mediation techniques, many conflicts are avoided. Our family mediations include issues of divorce, custody and finances, as well as care for elders. In summary, we help ease the crisis and lower the temperature. Most of all, we enable resolution and healing. QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 6, 2016 Real Estate Committee Meeting – save the date Complimentary admission – Parking and refreshments – Open to all 8:30 AM – Bulova Corporate Center April 8, 2016 Communications Committee Meeting – save the date Complimentary admission – Parking and refreshments – Open to all 8:30 AM – Bulova Corporate Center April 12, 2016 Queens Borough Planning - Zoning Forum John Young – Bulova Corporate Center 8:00 AM - Bulova Corporarte Center Complimentary admission – Parking and refreshments – Open to all April 14, 2016 Cyber Security in the Workplace Presenter Michael DePalma Channel Development Manager, Datto Join the Queens Chamber Technology Committee for a morning of networking as we discuss how best to protect your intellectual work product. Complimentary admission – parking and refreshments Open to all 8:30 AM – Bulova Corporate Center April 14, 2016 The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: The Ethical Concerns for Lawyers - Continuing Legal Education The content of this complimentary course is appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys (transitional/non-transitional) Ethics and Professionalism: 2CLE Credits Hours Speakers: Joshua E. Biesntock, Esq and Vincent Petraro, Esq. Complimentary admission – parking and refreshments 8:30 AM - Bulova Corporate Center April 15, 2016 Breakfast Workshop Series Time, Stress and Anger Management at the Workplace This program covers the basic skills needed to manage time, stress and anger at work. Mismanagement of time, stress and anger not only hurts productivity but also put the health and safety or employees and customers at risk. Presenter: Joshua E. Bienstock Queens Chamber of Commerce In conjunction with NYIT Center for Human Resource Studies and Dispute Resolution Institute of New York. Complimentary admission – parking and refreshments – Open to all 8:30 AM - Bulova Corporate Center April 21, 2016 Manufacturing Committee Meeting - save the date Complimentary admission – parking and refreshments 8:30 AM – Bulova Corporate Center May 13, 2016 Breakfast Workshop Series WORKPLACE CONFLICT RESOLUTION (NEGOTIATION) SKILLS This program covers the basic skills needed to succesfully negotiate and to resolve disputes that occur at work. You will learn to shift the focus from conflict to finding solutions that work for all parties and reduce unproductive behavior, employee terminations and lawsuits and to facilitate succesful negotiations with business parners. Queens Chamber of Commerce In conjunction with NYIT Center for Human Resource Studies and Dispute Resolution Institute of New York. Complimentary admission – parking and refreshments 8:30 AM - Bulova Corporate Center APRIL For registration or information on these events and other events please call us at 718.898.8500 and visit our website at www.queenschamber.org MAY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER EVENTS PLEASE CALL US AT 718-898-8500 or VISIT US AT WWW.QUEENSCHAMBER.ORG
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