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THE ISLAN; iF HAWAI'I YMCA MEDIATION .OGRAMS <br /> <br /> Members of the County Council, thank you for this opportunity to testify. <br /> The Island ofHawai'i YMCA's two mediation programs, Ku'ikahi Mediation Center (established in 1983) and <br /> West Hawaii Mediation Services (established in 1988) provide island-wide mediation and conciliation services to <br /> individuals and organizations of Hawaii County. West Hawaii Mediation Services became a program of the <br /> Island of Hawaii YMCA in 1995 so that both programs could better serve the Big Island community. The <br /> programs utilize trained volunteers, so the cost of the services remain accessible to the community. <br /> The mediation program provide many benefits to the Hawaii County community: <br /> • participants are assisted in resolving sometimes long-standing disputes in a process that allows them to take <br /> responsibility for redressing the past, and addressing their future relationship and behavior; <br /> • volunteer mediators aze given skills that they use to strengthen their own business and personal relationships. <br /> • cost savin¢s- to both the participants and court and legal system when disputes aze resolved with limited or <br /> no court involvement <br /> The programs hold a contract with the State Judiciary to provide mediation services. The contract requires that <br /> programs match the Judiciary funding by 25% through other sources. <br /> In 1996, the programs opened 521 cases, achieving a 79% agreement rate for cases mediated. Both programs <br /> utilize trained volunteer mediators for service provision, and in 1996, those volunteers mediated over 1694 <br /> hours. In addition, program volunteers contributed over 500 hours in training development and assistance. <br /> The mediation process provides participants the opportunity to resolve disputes, with the goal of reaching fair <br /> and durable solutions. The mediator's role is to assist all parties involved in communicating what it is that's <br /> important to them in the dispute, and to assist the parties in negotiating the particulars of agreements reached. <br /> Agreements reached through mediation tend to last longer because the parties involved have ownership of the <br /> resolution, and can address issues beyond specific points of law. <br /> Volunteer mediators come from all walks of life: attorneys, teachers, students, retirees, business persons, and <br /> represent a diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Our mediators interviewed, selected, aze professionally <br /> trained and must successfully complete 44 hours of training to mediate for the programs. <br /> Privatization Issue: <br /> We understand the concerns raised in areas that have been traditionally provided by County staff. To our <br /> knowledge, the County has never had staff provide community mediation services. Although the funding <br /> amount received from the County is just 10% of program budget ($10,000), that funding, leveraged by the use of <br /> volunteers, yields a much greater value to the community than the actual dollar amount received. We trust that <br /> the Council will be able to find a creative balance between the rights of civil service employees and varied needs <br /> of the community that have been served very cost-effectively in the past through purchase of service contracts. <br /> ~ >u0. 3~/. 02 _ <br /> x®. LE G <br /> ]het Presented ~+wrt~t <br /> fix, p~ JUN 1 8 1997 <br /> <br />