The Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC), founded in 1986, is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

organization that serves individuals, groups, and organizations in

San Mateo County San Mateo County ( ), officially the County of San Mateo, is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 764,442. Redwood City, California, Redwood City is th ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. As a neutral third party, PCRC assists people in conflict to develop mutually acceptable agreements. It offers

mediation Mediation is a structured, voluntary process for resolving disputes, facilitated by a neutral third party known as the mediator. It is a structured, interactive process where an independent third party, the mediator, assists disputing parties ...

, facilitation,

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...

, and

community building Community building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement of community among individuals within a regional area (such as a neighborhood) or with a common need or interest. It is often encompassed under the fields o ...

services. It is the largest provider of community-based conflict management and prevention services in San Mateo County.

Mission

The Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center's mission is to promote collaboration and active engagement in the communities it serves.

Mediation

PCRC's community mediation program is available for free or low cost to everyone who lives or works in San Mateo County. With the help of approximately 160 trained volunteer mediators, PCRC handles over 500 mediation cases and conducts approximately 150 mediations per year.Community
pcrcweb.org Typical issues resolved in the community mediation program are: neighbor disputes about noise, fences, parking and yard/tree maintenance; landlord/tenant conflicts; disagreements between a consumer and a business; workplace disputes; and other interpersonal situations.

Facilitation

Through its facilitation services, PCRC helps organizations plan and run meetings. When facilitating a meeting, PCRC seeks to promote participation, support dialogue in communities, aid decision making, and help groups work productively. Some situations in which PCRC provides facilitation services include organizations that need to develop a strategic plan, public meetings in which neighbors come together to share concerns and ideas, staff or work groups who want to work out a conflict, organizational retreats, and city government public participation processes. Unlike most of PCRC's services, facilitation usually requires a fee.

Training

PCRC offers workshops to groups and organizations, training participants in communication and conflict resolution skills.

Civic engagement

The Civic Engagement Initiative, begun in 1997, is designed to increase residents' active involvement in their communities, schools, and democracy.

Civic engagement Civic engagement or civic participation is any individual or group activity addressing issues of public concern. Civic engagement includes communities working together or individuals working alone in both political and non-political actions to ...

can take many forms, including volunteering, voting, community organizing, mentoring, running for public office, and public dialogue. The Civic Engagement Initiative seeks to build a sense of ownership and interconnectedness in communities and to help individuals understand that their participation matters. Through the Civic Engagement Initiative, PCRC promotes parent involvement in schools, facilitates dialogues on public issues, trains community leaders, partners with community agencies and links residents to public policy makers. As an expression of its global vision, PCRC also sponsors the local Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue with its domestic effectiveness and global impact.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official website

San Mateo Daily News
- news article on strengthening neighborhoods dialogue
San Mateo Daily News
- news article on gang prevention
San Francisco Chronicle
- news article on mediation
San Francisco Chronicle
- news article on noise complaints Dispute resolution Mediation Non-profit organizations based in California Organizations established in 1986 Companies based in San Mateo County, California