Friends of Hawai‘i Charities Funds Conflict Resolution Training in Schools

Friends of Hawai‘i Charities, Inc. awarded a $2,500 grant to Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center to support conflict resolution training in East Hawai‘i elementary schools.

“Peer mediation is a process where youth of the same age-group facilitate resolving disputes between two or more students,” said Julie Mitchell, Ku‘ikahi executive director. Peer mediators work in pairs and help classmates reach agreements that are fair, safe and doable.”

Peer mediators receive training in the nature of conflict, necessary qualities of a good mediator, active listening, restating, brainstorming, problem-solving, confidentiality, neutrality, and the ways in which different ways of seeing, hearing, and understanding (perspective) affects communication and conflict resolution.

To date during the 2018-2019 school year, 140 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders have been trained by Ku‘ikahi on how to mediate disputes among students at Keonepoko, Mountain View and Volcano School of Arts & Sciences.

An additional four classes at Keonepoko received a newly created one-hour training entitled “Conflict Resolution Skills for Kids!”

“We appreciate the support of Friends, whose commitment to youth programs allowed us to expand our offerings to meet the needs of our partner schools,” said Mitchell.

Founded in 1998, Friends of Hawai‘i Charities, Inc. benefits not-for-profit organizations by providing grants that fund programs for children, youth, women, elderly and the needy. Their principal fund-raising event is the SONY OPEN IN HAWAI‘I PGA TOUR golf tournament held at Waialae Country Club each January. Friends and official charity partner, The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., have generated more than $18 million benefiting numerous Hawai‘i not-for-profit organizations.

Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center’s mission is to empower people to come together—to talk and to listen, to explore options, and to find their own best solutions. To achieve this mission, Ku‘ikahi offers mediation, facilitation and training to strengthen the ability of diverse individuals and groups to resolve interpersonal conflicts and community issues. For more information, call Ku‘ikahi at (808) 935-7844 or go online.