Mosaic Commons:
Conflict Resolution Process

Mosaic Commons intends to be a safe nurturing place for all of us, children and adults, to grow, both individually and as a group. To this end, we agree to the following: We will make a good-faith effort to deal with conflicts that may arise. With the help of Community Support (CS) we will do our best to distinguish between individual conflicts and issues of concern for the group as a whole. Individual conflicts will be handled through this Conflict Resolution process.

Members may choose to handle conflicts directly themselves or to enlist the help of CS. If a conflict is brought to CS by any member, all members directly involved in the conflict agree to make a good faith effort (see step 7) to follow this process through to resolution. This will typically include meeting with the other person/s to attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution to the conflict.

Resolution(s) to conflicts may take many forms, including an "agreement to disagree" in some cases.

The following is a guide for members of the Mosaic Commons community to understand and be aware of the process to expect when asking for help from the Community Support Team:
  1. You are encouraged to attempt to resolve the conflict by yourself, if you can.
  2. If the conflict is unresolved, or you don’t feel you are able to approach the other party or parties by yourself, you may approach a member of the CS Team in whatever way you feel most comfortable (individual email, email to the team, in person, or over the phone).
  3. A CS team member of your choosing will meet with you to talk about and help define the conflict that you are having. This may include identifying the specific situation(s) in which the conflict came up and feelings around that. The CS Team member will offer you tools to resolve the conflict yourself, or offer the option of conflict mediation through the team. Please be aware that because CS Team members support and provide guidance to one another, we reserve the right to confidentially discuss the issue with other team members, with the exception of any team member who is involved in the conflict, and determine who we think will be the most appropriate mediator(s); this may not be the member(s) initially approached.
  4. By coming to the CS Team with your concern, you are agreeing to fully participate in resolving the conflict in a timely manner (see below). If you choose to take the tools back and work on the conflict and are unsuccessful in your own or CS's determination, or you they choose to bring it to mediation immediately then we move on to step 5.
  5. Set a time to meet. The CS team will take responsibility for bringing all parties up to date and coordinating a time that suits all involved parties to meet for mediation. This should take place as soon as possible, ideally within 4 weeks (exceptions can be made for special circumstances such as illness or travel). The actual CS team member or members who facilitate in mediating the conflict must be mutually agreed to by all parties. The team will discuss and resolve any conflicts of interest in this choice. If a CS team member can’t be agreed upon by both parties another community member or outside person may be approached who is willing to mediate.
  6. If resolution (which may include agreeing to disagree) is not reached through the first mediation facilitated by CS, members directly involved in the conflict agree to engage in a second mediation attempt, either with new mediators from within our group or through obtaining the services of an outside consultant.
  7. Members agree to make two good faith efforts with different mediators before determining that not all conflicts can be resolved. An attempt or effort at resolution with one mediator is not necessarily limited to one meeting. If either party during a meeting feels they are at a place where they have reached their limit at that time, that party may request to continue the conversation at a future time and date agreed to by all parties involved.
  8. Individuals involved in this process are encouraged to find a way to acknowledge the conflict to the larger group. Often the community is already aware that something is going on - acknowledging it, as well as acknowledging that it is in the process of mediation (or has been resolved) is reassuring to the other people.