Transition Program For Youth

This program is designed to assist young men and women 12 – 16, and
17 –29 years who may be at risk or are in conflict with the law. This program provides a space for positive social interaction where experiences can be shared to improve their spiritual, emotional, mental and physical experiences. This Group and Individual Sessions include:

• Dealing with the Law
• Dealing with anger and conflict resolution. The anger management program is designed at helping individuals minimize their anger outbursts and learning how to react to conflict situations in a positive manner
• Forming and maintaining positive relationships among peers
• Effective Communication Skills and coping strategies
• Drug abuse and misuse
• Transition to education, training or employment
• Support for parents of incarcerated youth, to strengthen family bonds
  and to help with making successful transitions
• Attendance at school and drop outs
• Conflict Resolution Training
• Connects with newcomer youth
• Links youth to resources and services
• Provides leadership development activities for the youth
• Helps youth adjust to life in Canada
• Referrals to other programs
  

DYNAMICS OF CONFLICT ESCALATION

Conflict and Needs:

Usually when people are in conflict, they sense that some need or value is being violated or threatened by the complaints or demands made by the other. Consequently, they often hear the other’s complaints as threats to their own needs. (When you ask me to change my behaviour, a need that I’ve been meeting by that behaviour is threatened). In order to defend themselves against that threat, either party might resort to strategies that can lead to conflict escalation.

Having a disagreement with a neighbour, friend, business partner or co-worker can make the affected parties confused, afraid, unsecured, lose self esteem and above all, ANGRY. Sometimes, a small conflict can get worse, if not dealt with, whether domestic or otherwise. Conflicts can be made worse by bringing in other conflicts from the past. It is important to deal with conflicts as they arise.

Strategies That Lead to Conflict Escalation:

• Defending their own case
• Defending their own behaviour (I’m not doing anything wrong; I’m not breaking the rules),
• Defending their own character (I’m being reasonable), or Get others to take their side

Attacking the source of the threat:

• Try to “disempower” the other by:

1. Threatening (scaring),
2. Insulting (humiliating) or
3. Criticizing (undermining person’s sense of legitimacy)
4. Bullying/Name calling

• Characterize them as in violation of a rule or norm
• Minimize the complaint of other
• Find other things to criticize or to complain about.

Cycle of Conflict Escalation

Each of these strategies by one person can elicit a defensive and hostile response and therefore similar strategies, on the part of the other. Neither person may realize their own contribution to the other’s behaviour. Each may take the others behaviour as an indication of hostility, and conclude that continued and intensified aggressive and defensive moves are required

• This can lead to a cycle of conflict escalation.

Effects of Conflict Escalation

• The effects of conflict escalation include:

1. Distrust, provocation, hatred, animosity, disrespect, anger,
   discrimination, bullying, insults, name calling, etc.
2. Communication break down as both avoid hurtful interactions,
3. Misunderstandings that result from unchecked assumptions,
4. Each persons sense of legitimacy is undermined in the face of the others’ criticisms,
5. A desire to be seen as “not the right”by others, or
6. Problem solving is minimal as each spends energy on defending themselves and attacking the other
7. Sometimes, can lead to violence

Turning Things Around

In order to build a cooperative problem solving climate, one or both parties need to engage in behaviours that either prevent or reverse the spiral of conflict escalation.

WHAT IS CONFLICT

Conflict is a disagreement between two or more people. Conflicts occur inside individuals, within on-going individual and group relationships, and also between different individuals and groups (may be gangs related). Conflicts affect relationships. People get angry and frustrated when their relationships fail. Miscommunication leads to wrong assumption and entrenched positions. People need help to break the cycle of violence and escalation that often sets in with conflict.

Conflicts can be made worse by bringing in other conflicts from the past. It is important to deal with conflicts as they occur.

Conflicts can develop over time. Usually there could be some incident that would trigger the conflict to come out openly.

SUGGESTED REACTIONS TO CONFLICT WHEN THEY OCCUR

- You may want to hint at the problem bothering you
- You may want to apologize if you are on the offensive
- Smile no matter what
- Leave the scene, walk out
- Pretend nothing is wrong and walk away
- Complain to a friend, relative or associate, then seek an advice
- If at school, talk to your teacher, or inform your parents when you get home.

WHAT WE MUST NOT DO AT CONFLICTS

- Get visibly angry during conflict
- Hit someone or Shoot someone
- Take it out on someone else
- Punch a pillow or your desk
- Use put-downs and labels
- Bring up past conflicts
- Aim for vulnerabilities
- Make jokes, kid around, call names, etc.
- Lie against someone
- Engage in fighting
- Escalating the conflict

ROLE OF CONFLICT MEDIATOR IN CONFLICTS

A mediator in this setting is a neutral third party who has been trained and assigned to facilitate a mediation process between two aggrieving parties in a conflict in such a way
that is fair, safe and satisfactory for both parties. Here the mediator uses the interest-based approach, which asks what problems underlie or cause the conflict, what the parties need and want. The mediator uses good communication skills such as attentive listening, restating and clarifying what has been said by both parties, asking neutral and open ended questions, become sensitive to cultural, language, power differences, putting into consideration the socio-political dynamics of the parties’ culture, language and
power-base. The mediator should not be afraid to name differences and talk about power imbalances, such as inequalities. The mediator should be able to detect the underlying cause of the conflict through interaction with both parties without telling the parties what the conflict is. Validates each party and help each party or person to see the other’s point of view. Helps the parties to identify the points of disagreement and common interest. Diffuse anger while developing empathy between the disputants or rival parties or gangs
Strives for Win-Win-Win Resolution always. By this the mediator focuses on finding solutions that meet the interests of both parties or gangs or individuals.

Using this approach, the mediator tries to facilitate the process of finding solutions that meet all parties’ needs and wants. This approach generates the Win-Win Negotiation, which takes the interest based approach to solving the parties’ differences. By looking at what both parties want to achieve and finding creative ways of coming to a solution that both parties are happy with, you have nip the conflict in the bud (parties in this case could be rival gangs, neighbours, friends, associates, team mates, etc.)

WHY MEDIATION?

Mediation or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is fast becoming the option of choice for managing conflicts, and preventing it from escalating to violent behaviour by the conflicting parties or gangs. When mediation is effectively used, it becomes a tool for crime prevention in our community.

ADVANTAGES OF RESOLVING CONFLICTS

Mediation can turn conflict into advantages if explored. Mediation can also turn conflict into benefit for those who are in it. Conflict could become a lesson for those who are yet to be in it as well. Below are some benefits that mediation could bring into conflicts.

Benefits of Mediation:

• Conflicts when resolved can reduce crime in the community
• Conflicts when resolved enable us to become aware of problems within relationships and in the community.
• Conflicts when resolved can bring about positive changes in the community
• Conflicts when resolved become energizing and motivate us to look at problems for possible solutions.
• Conflicts when resolved spice up life. They make things interesting.
• Conflicts when resolved can relieve stress, tension, etc.
• Conflicts when resolved can help us learn about ourselves and others
• Conflicts when resolved can bring people closer together
• Conflicts when resolved can create a peaceful loving community

Therefore, Conflict Resolution through mediation or Alternative Dispute Resolution, if explored, becomes a tool for peaceful co-existence among individuals, groups in our communities.

Helpful and Harmful Behaviors in a Group

Helpful: Listen, accept useful suggestions, and be open to new ideas

Harmful: Judging, blaming, labeling others, disapproving others

Helpful: Assertive, direct, positive, encourages others to contribute

Harmful: Aggressive, bullying, sarcastic, name-calling, personal attacks, hatred

Helpful: Honest, tries to get people to work together

Harmful: Deceiving, gossiping, spreading rumours

Helpful: leads, uses rules only to help

Harmful: Domineering in group discussions, needs to get own way

Helpful: Actively involved, expresses feelings positively, interested in others

Harmful: Avoids involvement by withdrawing, forgetting, has no opinion

Helpful: Takes responsibility in group activities and encourages others

Harmful: Complaining, whining. Follows, but has no enthusiasm

Helpful: Sincere, real sense of friendship and concern for others

Harmful: Says nice words, but not sincere, always jokes around

Helpful: Supportive in helping others, compassionate

Harmful: Protecting and defending (as if other person wasn’t capable)

The general content of this website are All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service