ABSTRACT
This chapter charts the growth and development of a community mediation service based in a large city. It describes the beginnings from a small group of people to a steering committee to achievement of funding and establishment of the mediation service. It then goes on to give an outline of the service five years on (winter 1996/97), with 50 volunteer mediators and six paid staff, covering schools as well as neighbour mediation, and providing training to many other groups as well as its own volunteer mediators. There is a description of a day in the life of the intake worker and a mediation story. It also includes notes on staff and volunteer issues, management committee roles, communication (internal and external), policy making, funding, and monitoring and evaluation – all from the point of view of this particular service.
