HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0453.001 2018-2020 SPI coUNM-
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAII
West HaCwa;iiRECEIVED
Mediation Center Time �'�00*1 -)
BY
Date W11Jy o
Re: Res. 292-19 Testimony in Gratitude of Grant
My name is Elizabeth Strance. I am board president for Big Island Mediation,Inc.,more
commonly known as the West Hawaii Mediation Center. I am also a volunteer mediator with the
Center. On behalf of the West Hawaii Mediation Center,thank you Council Member Richards for
designating this$1,500.00 grant to conduct additional mediation courses.
During our last fiscal year,WHMC provided mediation services for 238 cases,serving
approximately 508 individual clients.Of those cases, 129 were court-referred—District Court(81 cases)
and Family Court(48 cases)—and 109 were self-referred or referred by other sources.37%of our clients
had household incomes of$21,000 or less.Of those surveyed,92%were satisfied with the process and
more than 96%would"definitely"or"probably" recommend mediation to others.
To provide some texture to these statistics,our mediators may encounter participants at court
who have never been to court,don't have a lawyer,and are nervous or confused about having been
referred to mediation. They encounter participants who are angry with each other and convinced the
other has perpetrated an injustice. Some are heart broken by a divorce and fearful of the prospect of
spending less time with their children. Some have never heard of mediation,or if they have,do not
really know what it means. Despite these types of challenges,our volunteer mediators assist people in
resolve their own disputes.
The West Hawaii Mediation Center asks a lot of its volunteer mediators. For example,each is
required to complete a 32-hour basic mediation course before mediating for the Center. Unless an
employer or other organization pays for the training,mediators pays for their own training.
We currently have 25 active mediators and a service area that extends from Hawi to Ocean
View.To accommodate the interest in our training and to expand the pool of active mediators,we are
offering a second basic training this year. This grant will be put to good use by offsetting the cost of this
training.
Again,thank you and I am happy to answer any questions.
65-1291 Kawaihae Road,Suite 202,Kamuela,Hawaii 96743
Waimea(808)885-5525 Kailua-Kona(808)326-2666 Fax(808)887-0525
www.whmediation.org
West Hawaii Mediation Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, helping our community
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Ref. Bate SEP 1 8 2019