Our Dispute Resolution Centers (DRCs) provide comprehensive mediation, conflict resolution, and training services to the community.
Dispute Resolution Center / Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices provide a healing approach to addressing conflict by focusing on repairing relationships rather than imposing punitive consequences. Rooted in cultural traditions, this philosophy emphasizes open communication, accountability, and compassion to strengthen relationships and build a more connected community. By ensuring that everyone feels heard, valued, and understood, Restorative Practices help mend harm, promote personal responsibility, and foster a sense of healing and reconciliation within communities.
Restorative Justice Classes
Victim Offender Impact Competency Education (VOICE) Class
AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH & ADULTS
The VOICE class is a Restorative Practices program that guides participants through the process of reflection, accountability, and repair. It introduces the concept of restorative conferencing, encouraging individuals to recognize the harm they have caused and take personal responsibility for their actions. Through VOICE, participants explore meaningful ways to make amends with their family, community, and themselves. The course concludes with each student writing a thoughtful apology letter, outlining their accountability, acknowledging the impact of their actions, and committing to positive change.
Conflict Resolution and Communication (CRC) Class
AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH & ADULTS
The CRC class equips students with the skills to understand, navigate, and resolve conflicts in a productive and respectful way. Through this course, individuals learn to identify the root causes of conflict, express their needs effectively, and actively listen to others. By reframing conflict as an opportunity for understanding and growth, participants gain a new perspective on its role in relationships and communities. CRC fosters constructive communication, helping individuals approach disagreements with confidence, empathy, and a focus on positive outcomes.
Parent-Teen Communication Class
AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH
The Parent-Teen Communication class provides a foundation for understanding interpersonal conflict and strengthening family relationships. Through this course, parents and teens develop effective communication skills that foster healthy, productive, and resolution-focused conversations. By learning to navigate disagreements with clarity, empathy, and mutual respect, participants build stronger connections and create a more supportive and understanding family dynamic.
Youth Mediation
Parent / Teen Mediation
AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH
Parent-Teen Mediation provides a structured and supportive space for families to navigate conflicts with the help of impartial mediators. This process encourages open, respectful, and productive conversations, allowing both parents and teens to express their perspectives and work toward solutions. Mediators do not take sides, give advice, or make decisions. Instead, they facilitate dialogue, promote understanding, and assist in creating agreements that address the needs and interests of everyone involved. Free if initiated by the teen.
Teen 2 Teen: Peer Mediation Program
AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH
Teen 2 Teen is a peer-led mediation program where trained students help their classmates resolve conflicts in a constructive and respectful way. With guidance from advisors, students use an 8-stage mediation process to facilitate open communication, understanding, and mutually agreeable solutions. This student-centered approach addresses issues like bullying, disagreements, and misunderstandings, fostering a positive school climate while building essential conflict resolution and social skills.
To contact Restorative Practices please call 360.542.8487 or email SkagitRP@voaww.org.
Facilitative Circles
Circles provide a safe and supportive space for individuals to share their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives. Rooted in Indigenous traditions, Circles encourage active listening, mutual respect, and open dialogue to promote healing and connection. By taking turns speaking and listening without judgment, participants build trust, empathy, and a sense of community, making Circles a powerful tool for processing challenges and strengthening relationships
Restorative Conferencing
Restorative Conferencing is a facilitated conversation that brings together those who have been harmed and those responsible for causing harm. This process provides a structured and supportive space for open dialogue, accountability, and healing. The goal is to ensure that those harmed have an opportunity to be heard and made whole, while those responsible take personal accountability and actively work to repair the harm done.