Services
MOPC deploys a range of proven collaborative methodologies to assist government entities and members of the public with problem-solving and the resolution of disputes. Services are delivered by MOPC staff, qualified affiliate practitioners and state-funded community mediation centers. MOPC ensures that services delivered under its auspices adhere to best practices and principles for successful collaboration including inclusiveness of participation, transparency of decision-making and shared responsibility for process and outcome. Public agencies can engage MOPC without the need to deploy a competitive procurement process.
Conflict Assessment
- Process conducted by a neutral skilled in assessing disputes and convening stakeholders to collaborate.
- Helps stakeholders to determine whether an issue is appropriate for dispute resolution or consensus building.
- Provides the opportunity to clarify issues, design an appropriate problem-solving process, decide who should participate, and determine the costs involved.
Consensus-Building
- Collaborative negotiation process that helps stakeholders with diverse or competing interests to problem-solve and reach agreement.
- Neutral facilitators assess the issues and interests; assists public agencies as sponsors and conveners in defining the stakeholders and inviting them to the table; designing the ground rules and meeting structures; facilitating discussions; and drafting agreements; engaging the public.
- Results in policies and projects with wide support and reduces likelihood for divisiveness and legal challenges.
Deliberative Dialogue
- Structured public discussion forums led by trained moderators that range from small study circles held in peoples’ homes to large community gatherings.
- Uses nonpartisan issue guides that outline several possible ways to address a problem.
- Participants deliberate together to explore options, weigh pros and cons, hear each other’s views, and identify common ground.
- Results may influence public policies formulation.
Mediation
- Assisted negotiation process facilitated by a trained neutral who helps parties in conflict create their own resolution.
- Participation is voluntary and confidential and decision-making is based on informed consent.
- Mediator meets with the parties to explore issues, relationships, and possible solutions.
- Mediated agreements are binding by mutual consent of the parties.
Program Design
- Helps organizations develop policies and programs to better manage systemic or recurring conflicts and promote collaborative problem-solving, internally, and externally.
- Provides expert consultation on development of goals, objectives, evaluation, and performance measures for conflict management programs.
- Involves reviewing relevant legislation and regulations; assessing organizational systems and stakeholder interests; creating a design that fits the larger organizational culture and motivates people to use dispute resolution; facilitating participatory design process; preparing policies, procedures, and forms; training neutrals; orienting on how to effectively use the program.
Training & Capacity Building
- Skill-building workshops, including conflict resolution, negotiation, mediation, facilitation, consensus-building, violence prevention, public deliberation, and community engagement.
- Integrates theory and practice; deploys role-play exercises in a safe learning environment.
- Off-the-shelf or custom-designed through needs assessment focus groups, surveys, interviews.
- Provides opportunities to learn skills to help participants handle conflicts within organizations.