P R E S S R E L E A S E
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2023
Contact Email: Michelle Wilkinson
LOCAL NON-PROFIT OFFERING FREE CONFLICT RESOLUTION TRAINING FOR KING COUNTY RESIDENTS
Seattle, December 21 – The Dispute Resolution Center of King County (KCDRC) introduces a series of new, culture-forward trainings to support individuals to better manage conflict on their own, and in their own communities. Conflict Resolution for Everyone (CoRE™) will be free to all King County residents in 2024. CoRE centers cultural diversity throughout the entirety of the training and considers the complexities related to cultural factors in conflict.
KCDRC Executive Director, Dave Martine, shares, “At this moment in time, conflict is boiling over everywhere, playing a larger role in our lives, not just in the news, but at work, school, spaces of worship, community meetings, and even at family dinners. CoRE is for everyone, whether you want to become a mediator or address problems with your neighbors, coworkers, or family in a more productive way.”
Martine adds, “King County is one of the most diverse counties in the country, so we wanted to create a program that would be beneficial and equitable to a wide range of people in our community. With generous funding from the Washington State Legislature, we created a culturally relevant program starting by holding listening sessions with residents and organizations throughout South King County. We heard perspectives from people of color and marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+, immigrant, and formerly incarcerated individuals and their family members. With a better understanding of conflict from different perspectives, we have created a truly unique learning opportunity.”
During the development of CoRE, KCDRC piloted the trainings with community members. Afterwards, they shared some reflections. Meryn states, “This training is a fun and engaging way to internally reflect on ways to be a productive mediator. Learning about your own strengths and weaknesses to help others better!” Anisa adds, “I learned a lot about how to view other people’s perspectives, as I was more internally focused. I learned to be more confident in myself since I am an introvert so that I can extend myself to help others.” Dashne offers, “I’ve learned a lot, especially having the confidence to listen to other people’s conflicts and help them to problem solve, and work to find a solution. They were able to create a training that is interactive that has practical real-world examples!”
This new, one-of-a-kind program helps people navigate conflict in their own lives by giving them the knowledge to work through disagreements with more effective approaches. Daniel Dittrick, KCDRC’s Professional & Community Education Manager notes, “The sessions are set up in modules that can be taken together, or an individual can choose just one skill they want to work on, like giving and receiving feedback or negotiation basics, intentional listening and more. Sessions will be offered at varying times each month to accommodate people’s busy lives, making it more convenient for everyone to take part. While we are launching the program virtually in English, our aim is to add in-person sessions, and eventually expand the languages offered.”
KCDRC is offering the program for free in the first year to make CoRE more accessible to everyone. Martine expresses, “This will allow us to remove many financial barriers so more people can benefit from the new program. We are acting on our organizational values by offering CoRE for free. Our staff and board are thrilled we can bring this innovative learning opportunity to our community.”
CoRE™ sessions will launch on February 1, and signup begins on January 5 at www.kcdrc.org/learn.
The KCDRC mission is to promote meaningful pathways for everyone to engage with conflict, to learn from each other, and to grow in community. A nonprofit since 1986, KCDRC provides low-cost and no-cost solutions for King County residents and businesses to uncover workable solutions to everyday problems. Last year, our staff and volunteers helped to resolve more than 7,500 disputes throughout King County. To learn more about the full range of services, visit www.kcdrc.org.
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For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact Michelle Wilkinson.
For a PDF of the press release, click here: CoRE Press Release Final