In a world that is increasingly diverse, effective conflict resolution must honor and reflect the unique cultural contexts of our communities. This understanding drove us to design Conflict Resolution for Everyone (CoRE™), a program rooted in cultural relevance and inclusivity. Here’s how we’re working to make conflict resolution more accessible, effective, and diverse.
Empowering Communities to Resolve Conflicts
Our first goal is to equip individuals with culturally relevant skills to manage conflicts in their communities. We believe everyone can resolve disputes, and our training enhances these skills for independent conflict resolution. We also support community leaders, such as elders, to be even more effective.
Training Mediators with Cultural Awareness
We train mediators to offer conflict resolution services that are culturally inclusive. Traditional mediation often reflects a white, Eurocentric perspective, which doesn’t always meet the needs of diverse communities. Our program shifts this focus, providing mediators with tools to approach conflict resolution through a culturally diverse lens, addressing biases, and ensuring meaningful participation.
Increasing Diversity in Conflict Resolution
Our goal is to increase diversity among conflict resolution professionals. We make our training accessible to minority communities and ensure certification standards are clear and fair. We need more mediators who reflect the diversity of our society, and we’re committed to making that happen.
A Thoughtful and Inclusive Design Process
We didn’t develop CoRE™ in isolation. We started with listening sessions across communities to understand their norms around communication, conflict resolution, and learning. Using this input, we crafted and tested our curriculum to meet their needs. We continuously improve our program with feedback from every session.
Committed to Inclusivity and Impact
CoRE™ is more than training; it’s a commitment to fostering conflict resolution that respects and uplifts every community’s cultural strengths. We’re excited to continue this journey with you, sharing our progress as we work together toward a more inclusive future.
Funding
Last but not least, CoRE™ was originally funded by a proviso put forward by representative Jamila Taylor in the 30th legislative district. We’re so thankful for this funding and also grateful for the work that King County Council member, Claudia Balducci, and her staff did to help us receive funding to make CoRE™ available for everyone in King County.