Youth Mediation: A private and (usually) face-to-face meeting between those most affected by an incident to allow for a “meeting of the minds” to offer solutions to the dispute. Mediation offers an opportunity for youth to understand their behaviors and (as appropriate or if needed) receive consequences for their actions. It is also an opportunity for youth to express concern for their actions and choices with others involved and explore better decision making for the future. The mediator is impartial, neutral, and non-directive, and the participants work to create their own outcomes.

Truancy Mediation: A private and (usually) face-to-face meeting between those most affected by an offense (the school, youth, and family) and the person(s) who caused the truancy (the truant youth or a parent) with the facilitation of a trained mediator. The basic dialogue between the person(s) who caused harm and those most affected may explore what happened, who was affected, and how and gives voice to the most directly involved parties. The goals of the Truancy Mediation program are to promote improved school attendance and decreased absenteeism, return habitually truant students to a regular schedule of school attendance, increase students’ academic performance by improving attendance, teach skills that will improve family communication and provide skills that will enable students to be successful in school and in life. The program should also work to improve graduation from high school and reduction in the number of court filings by determining the reasons for the lack of attendance and providing education, intervention and accountability to the juveniles and their parents.

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Registration closes on Friday August 30, 2024