Statements
Mission
Community mediation keeps people out of court so they can focus on their work, their families, and their communities. In partnership with TN courts and other agencies, Nashville Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) empowers low-income individuals and families in Middle Tennessee to resolve and move beyond conflict through this collaborative form of justice.
Background
NCRC was founded in August of 2000 when members of the Nashville Bar Association desired to provide mediation in General Sessions Civil Court cases for parties who could not afford legal representation. Today, NCRC's restorative mediation programs focus on housing security, parenting stability, and ending the prison pipeline. A cohort of about 60 trained mediators volunteer their skilss and time to serve a population that struggles disproportionately with poverty, incarceration, violence, and the chronic mental and health challenges that are produced by poverty. Additionally, NCRC provides Tennessee Supreme Court-approved mediation training, continuing education and mentoring for volunteer mediators, and numerous conflict resolution workshops for communities and nonprofit partners.
Impact
In 2022:
NCRC provided mediation in six languages: English, ASL, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Amharic
633 mediation sessions were provided free to participants
1307 people successfully mediated, stabilizing their families, their housing, and their employment
13 different counties in Tennessee sent mediation referrals, taking advantage of our capacity to provide remote services
772 attendees filled 9 online Lunch & Learn events, where they earned free CLE and CME credit
Needs
1. NCRC needs Rule 31 trained mediators for the following programs:
Civil mediators IN PERSON in General Sessions Courts, Davidson and Sumner Counties
Family mediators (in any county) for parenting plan mediations provided REMOTELY VIA ZOOM
Civil or Family mediators in Davidson County to assist with IN PERSON school-based juvenile mediation
2. NCRC needs expansion funds:
In FY24, NCRC accepted referrals from 20 counties in Middle Tennessee and the demand continues to grow. Our wait list for parenting mediation often extends beyond 90 days. $120,000 would allow us to hire another mediatior and expand access in rural counties.
3. $25,000 would support our Education and Training program, which provides conflict training and continuing education to attorneys, mediators, other nonprofits and businesses throughout Middle Tennessee.
4. $500 provides a mediation for a family and restores stability, normalcy, and peace for one family.
CEO Statement
Every single mediation strengthens our collective community, helping people resolve conflict so they can get back to work or back to school, support their families, and serve their communities. NCRC invests on average $500 for each employee, parent, or young person in Nashville who needs help to resolve an escalating crisis with accountability and dignity. For many of our clients, this gift proves to be the opportunity of a lifetime. It seems simple: mediation instead of eviction, instead of prolonged legal entanglement, instead of escalation that can take a violent turn. $500 opens this door for one individual in need. Our approach fosters resiliency and accountability in our clients, who gain communication skills and a restored faith in their ability to make a valuable contribution to the lives around them. Together, we are restoring our social fabric--one mediation at a time.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Crime & Legal - Related - Dispute Resolution & Mediation |
| Secondary Category: | Human Services - Family Services |
| Tertiary Category: | Youth Development - Youth Development Programs |
Areas Served
NCRC provides free and sliding scale mediation services, both via video/phone conferencing and in-person, for people throughout Middle Tennessee. Our in-person services occur primarily in Davidson and Sumner Counties. We accept referrals from any of the TN courts or Legal Aid organization on an ad hoc basis, and will continue to do so as capacity allows, until such time as all counties have reliable access to community mediation.
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN |
| TN - Wilson |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Coffee |
| TN - DeKalb |
| TN - Humphreys |
| TN - Lincoln |
| TN - Macon |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Putnam |
| TN - Smith |
| TN - Warren |
