West Angeles Dispute Resolution Services (DRS) reaches out to neighborhood schools by providing conflict resolution and prejudice reduction trainings in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Since 1998, the Peace N' It Together Mediation Program has trained over 2,500 students and 1,200 teachers and administrators and 800 parents in 28 elementary, middle and high schools in conflict management skills. The school mediation program provides schools with the capacity to be self-training and self-mediating and provides non-violence and diversity curricula as a standard part of students' education. To meet the challenges of integrating conflict resolution skills into the classroom instruction, West Angeles DRS employs a credentialed curriculum developer that aligns training programs to the content standards of the California Department of Education.
West Angeles DRS also provides mediation services to the community at large. To date, the Dispute Resolution Services has trained over 900 community individuals and has an active roster of over 100 trained volunteer mediators who assist with youth trainings and other mediation services. Trained volunteer mediators facilitate a face-to-face discussion between parties in disagreement and assist them in reaching an agreement that works for both parties. West Angeles DRS resolves conflicts in areas of disputes such as family and neighbor, consumer-merchant, discrimination, workplace, divorce and custody and landlord/tenant issues.
In addition to school training programs and community services, West Angeles DRS' Community Certification Mediator training classes are held several times a year for adults. This course is an interactive and comprehensive training program that develops certified mediators in resolving a variety of disputes. The course meets the basic requirements of the California Dispute Resolutions Programs Act.
The departmental team consists of the Director, Yvonne Marie Hairston, a credentialed curriculum developer, an administrative assistant, and several school/program trainers and over 200 trained certified volunteer mediators that assist in building a legacy of peacemakers.
For more information please contact (323) 751-3440 ext.25 or send email request to info@westangelescdc.org
