Effectiveness, benefits and feedback

A study on the effectiveness of the Community Mediation Centre’s work was conducted in 2015. Feedback received since then has been quite similar.

A clear majority of the respondents reported that mediators had been dedicated, professional and impartial. Over half of the respondents thought that the mediation process had been beneficial, and seventy percent felt that it had increased their feelings of safety in the neighbourhood. Nine in ten actors working in the housing field reported that the number of complaints and reports of disturbances had reduced in their areas after mediation, and a majority of the actors hoped for further cooperation in the future. Individual development suggestions and disappointed comments were also received, and we do take them seriously. The most common development suggestion was that the services offered by Community Mediation Centre should be more widely known, and that they should be advertised more.

The study of 2015 and the feedback we receive demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of our work. The Community Mediation Centre has also established cooperation networks in the capital city area, Pirkanmaa and Turku region, and the demand for our work is increasing in all these areas.

Feedback from customers and partners (translated from Finnish):

“I felt relieved after our mediation.”

”It feels good to meet my neighbour. We greet each other now.”

“At first, I didn’t believe that mediation could help the situation. Now I have realized how good and effective the process is.”

“I hope that similar cooperation continues, and that the same staff stays at work! Thank you!”

“I’m not scared anymore, the intimidating atmosphere is gone, we greet each other.”

”I’m satisfied with the service I got.”

“Cooperation is straight-forward and easy, and the mediator gets to work and takes things forward briskly – nothing to improve.”

”The mediator was very diplomatic and handled this difficult situation well. I feel that I have been truly heard.”

“We have cooperated only once, but everything went so well and can not find anything to improve. The service could maybe be advertised more.”

”Our long cooperation has been a positive experience, the process works well as it is. Thanks for the cooperation.”

“The encounter in the mediation situation made things clearer.”

“We are able to discuss when we come across each other in the yard, and one can always come and tell if there is something that disturbs.”

“The work of the centre has to definitely continue. If only there are enough employees.”

“The cooperation is already excellent.”

“I wish that the property manager would suggest and direct cases such as these to mediation. This is a functioning process. I was being heard and the mediator stayed calm throughout the whole mediation process.”

“Strengthening cooperation, developing tools for community mediation and trainings for residents.”

“The toolbox has an effect on the whole community. How to for example more effectively get a hold of people who are poisoning the atmosphere and attempt to spoil the community development or any attempts for it for one reason or another.”

“I wish that the cooperation between the immigrant office, mediation and the property manager would be continuous.”

“It’s like a burden fell off my shoulders. I feel relieved to know I can talk to my neighbour now.”

“I wish I had met you before my marriage broke.”

We value the feedback we get and take it into account when developing our operations. Accordingly with the feedback we have received, we have for example improved the mediation process, made monitoring more effective, consolidated mediation know-how among actors working with residential matters, and also trained residents in mediation.