Mediation Center of Charlottesville

Bridging Differences

News

MCC Receives Grant from The City of Charlottesville

The City of Charlottesville Vibrant Communities Fund awarded MCC $42,000 to support a new Community Mediation Initiative.  This initiative is recruiting and training community members to become mediators who can support their neighbors in resolving disputes.

MCC Receives Grant from U.S. Department of Justice

The Police-Referred Mediation Pilot Project, which we are launching with Resolution Virginia and other Community Mediation Centers will give Virginians access to free mediation, conciliation, conflict exploration and restorative justice services through six of Resolution Virginia’s affiliated community mediation centers.  Center staff will train local law enforcement officers to 1.) identify issues that could be resolved through mediation, conciliation, conflict exploration or restorative justice, and 2.) make service referrals to the conflict engagement specialists at the centers.

MCC sponsored workshop–Hate Crimes and Extremism- What can we do about it?

For the first few months of 2024, MCC’s new Executive Director (Taylor Frome)  lead a 6-part series of community conversations to explore the forces that lead to hate and violent extremism.   Building on a program piloted in Rhode Island (https://www.courageousri.com/ ) we will held weekly meetings at The Center (at Belvedere) on the following topics:

  1. Preventing Violent Extremism
  2. High Conflict–and how we can dial it down
  3. Conflict Entrepreneurs
  4. Feelings and Facts
  5. The Influencers  February 21
  6. Free Speech, Hate Speech and Censorship  February 28

 

Mediator Courses

This year we’re offering two new mediator courses–Elder Mediation, and Community Mediation.

Applying for the Judy Morton Scholarship

Named in honor of longtime MCC mediator, volunteer, and supporter Judy Morton, this scholarship will cover 100% of the recipient’s fee for the Basic Mediation Skills course. The award will be bestowed annually to the student whose application best articulates an interest in mediation vis-a-vis his/her career or future pursuits. If the course is offered more than once in a year, the course description will indicate availability of the scholarship. If you are interested in taking Basic Mediation Skills and would like to apply for the scholarship, please see the application guidelines below. Completed scholarship applications must be submitted at least 6 weeks before the start of the course, and the award recipient is notified 4 weeks before the start date.

To apply for the Judy Morton Scholarship when the course has been scheduled, please submit your name and contact info (address, phone, & email) and a narrative of up to 500 words with the subject line “Judy Morton Scholarship” to mcc@mediationcville.org and include the following information:

  • Why you want to be a mediator,
  • What you see as the value of mediation today,
  • How training in mediation skills fits into your future plans or career.