New Initiatives Launched in 2012

Neighborhood Courts Adjudicator Training
Community Boards recently received an 18-month grant from DA’s Office to oversee all the trainings for the San Francisco’s Neighborhood Courts program. Cordell Wesselink, assisted by consultants and select volunteers, will provide a variety of trainings for the program’s neighborhood adjudicators.  In Neighborhood Courts’ adjudication process, trained volunteer adjudicators determine directives for low level infraction and misdemeanor cases at weekly sessions throughout SF, resulting in reduced court costs and case loads.  We are excited about our role with Neighborhood Courts and will keep you posted about how you can get involved.

Taking Mediation to the People
Taking Mediation to the People seeks to innovate the process of outreach, intake, and case development in order to reach those with the highest need for community mediation services.  This project, in one sense, is a return to an older, more proven “grassroots” approach to engage the public — taking conflict resolution directly to those who can most benefit from it.  The first stage of this pilot project will involve social service agencies and both assisted- living and affordable housing facilities.  JAMS Foundation is the primary funder for this project.  We thank them for their generous, ongoing support.

Conflict Central, One-Stop Conflict Resolution
Conflict Central is pilot project that will facilitate third-party referrals to CB’s Neighborhood Mediation Program by social service agency line staff and case workers.

In 2011-12, Community Boards…

• Received 1124 requests for assistance with a dispute
• Opened 408 cases for mediation in English, Spanish, and Cantonese or Mandarin
• Mediated 103 disputes
• Waived 15% of case opening fees to keep our program services accessible to indigent and low income residents
• Received ongoing dispute referrals from SF Police Department (35%), 311 Customer Service Center (13%) and SF Planning Department (5%), among others
• Awarded 17 full and partial scholarships to our ADR trainings and workshops
• Hosted 16 interns through our internship program with academic backgrounds in conflict resolution, social work, communications, international studies, and pre-law.
• Enrolled 110 members into our new membership program
• Saw its volunteer-led Community Outreach & Education committee move into its second year with a successful transition in leadership