|
|
|
|
|
|
YNOT Foundation offers grant toAPADRC
By Charles Chang, Executive Director
APADRC received a grant from the YNOT Foundation to expand its mediation services in the Korean American Community. The grant will alow APADRC to allocate more staff and volunteer time to provide mediation services as well as educate the community about the benefits of mediation.
Korean Americans are the second largest ethnic group served by APADRC; many conflicts are related to consumer/merchant and housing issues. We will expand our outreach in Koreatown in particular as well as other areas where Korean Americans live or work. YNOT Foundation was established in 2008 by Young Nak Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles for the purpose of community development. Young Nak Presbyterian Church, founded in 1973, is one of the largest and oldest Korean churches in Los Angeles; it serves more than 8,000 congregation members.
Stella Kim, YNOT Foundation Executive Director,Charles Chang, APADRC Executive Director, and Rev. Samuel Lee, YNOT Foundation CEO.
|
|
|
| Government Officials from Shanghai visits APADRC
By Kent Zhu
|
|
|
Roald Li, Director ofJiangsu Community of Changning District, Shanghai and Kent Zhu, APADRC Assistant Program Director.
Five Chinese officials from Shanghai visited APADRC on November 19th. The Shanghai Government sent the group to UCLA for a 3-month comprehensive study of community and economic development. Both APADRC and the group shared their experiences and concerns about operating and developing community mediation. The group found APADRC's business model, especially the Peer Mediation Program, very helpful for their new community development plan. APADRC has been invited to visit their centers in Shanghai. The recent proposed Mediation Law in China caught a lot of attention from the local governments and community service providers who are eager to utilize mediation. Mediation is a traditional but neglected community service practice, utilized to reduce the worsening social tension and to tighten the loosened community connections caused by the rapid expansion of the economy.
|
|
| APADRC Knowledge Shared at Professional Conference
By Carolina Garza De Luna
The Southern California Mediation Association(SCMA) held its 21st annual conference at Pepperdine University early November. Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center's (APADRC) Assistant Program Director, Carolina Garza De Luna, had the opportunity to present a community mediation center perspective to a majority of attorney mediators in a workshop called "A View from the Street: What is New and Exciting in Community Mediation."
In collaboration with Ventura Center for Dispute Settlement (VCDS), SCMA participants were able to discuss new and innovative ways community mediation centers are promoting, practicing and changing the face of mediation. APADRC presented two projects - the Day Labor Project and CBO intern placement project. With an emphasis on these two projects we were able to illustrate how community mediaion centers are a crucial part in the mediation movement aimed to increase awareness and utilization of the process. APADRC is very grateful for the opportunity and hopes to continue to promote the community mediation perspective as a crucial part of the mediation world.
|
|
|
|
|
| "Defense" is not Fighting
By David Ayala
The school year is well underwayand we've handled a steady stream of cases at King Middle School and King/Drew High School, as well as our partner school University High. Though the cases that come through our program rarely deviate beyond the rumor gone bad or bumping in the hall, I have come to notice a trend in the students' thinking that is somewhat troubling.
Oftentimes an argument or fight will erupt because students claim to be defending themselves. Sometimes it's a physical reaction (e.g. if a student gets pushed, that same student will push back). Other times, it's a verbal threat back. However, these incidents rarely end at that point. The back-and-forth name calling and arguing continues with both parties thinking they are "defending" themselves. When we mediate these cases, we often hear parties claim that she only acted the way she did because the other person had committed the first offense. With both parties using this argument, it becomes unclear who is at fault in the situation(with the more likely conclusion that both parties share culpability).
The most disturbing part of this behavior is that students tend to cite their parents as instilling them with the expectation to "defend." Sometimes students will say that their parents encouraged them to act in a destructive way as means of standing up for themselves. Even if these students don't necessarily want to fight or provoke the situation, they feel they must respect their parents' values and exhibit some kind of independence.
From the perspective of the parents, I understand that nobody wants their child to be bullied or taken advantage of. I understand that parents want to instill confidence and self-esteem in their children so that they can succeed in school and be independent. However, in the face of conflict, I would advise parents to clarify and nuance this message. "Stand up for yorself" is interpreted as "fight." If we convey our value but don't clarify a method, then we end up putting our children in a confusing position.
Defending oneself does not mean that we should fight back or perpetuate the same destructive behavior that hurts us in the first place. Standing up for oneself can be a dignified act that constructively engages conflict and helps to resolve the situation. This behavior must not simply be preached to children but most also be exemplified by adults.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming trainings and workshops!
Mediation Step One
Basic Mediation Training Emphasizing Cross-Cultural Competency
The Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center offers mediation and conflict resolution training opportunities for individuals interested in serving as a mediator. This 25-hour comprehensive course emphasizing cross-cultural competenct is designed for human resource personnel, nonprofit staff, customer service groups, public management and individuals who wish to improve their professional skills in conflict management or to become a mediator. The course follows the requirements set by the state of California to practice mediation within a California county funded mediation center. After introduction to mediation principles and techniques, participants will engage in discussions and role-plays and will be given the option of 25 hours of actual case work.
Participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance as confirmation of completing the entire 25 hours of training, or a Certificate of Completion for also accomplishing 25 hours of supervised volunteer case work at APADRC.
Training Schedule (Time and Dates are Tentative):
January 15, 2010: 6pm - 10pm
January 16, 2010: 9am - 6pm
January 23, 2010: 9am - 6pm
5 hours of role play will be scheduled according to participants' convenience.
Cost: $275 or free for APADRC volunteers and interns (for information on specific volunteer opportunities eligible for the fee waiver call 213-250-8190.
Debt Management Workshop
This workshop will present information about how to deal with debt in order to reduce it and pay it off. Debt collectors are usually willing to negotiate to collect a lesser amount than what is owed in order to collect something. This workshop will teach what options people have when they owe money but are having difficulty paying it off. Depending on how much is owed and whether the loan has been sold off to another collector, the debtor can sometimes get the total amount owed reduced by 25%, 50% or more. People attending the workshop will be offered the option of mediating their debt through the Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center.
This workshop will be offered in Korean in January. The same workshop will be offered in Chinese (Mandarin) and Spanish in February.
Debt Management Workshop in Korean
Co-Sponsored by YNOT Foundation
Date: January 21, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Young Nak Presbyterian Church
Address: 1721 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90031
Cost: Suggested donation of $20
|
|
|
Are you ever the one who help your friends resolve their differences or how about the family member who keeps the peace? If so, you have the skills to be a mediator. A mediator is a neutral third party that helps people having a conflict talk abot their problems so a solution can be reached. Oftentimes, people in a conflict are so emotionally riled up they can't think straight. A mediator helps people keep calm and see the other point of view.
APADRC needs people who are willing to volunteer as mediators. Because we serve such a diverse clientele, having language capacity in Spanish and Asian languages as well as in English is useful. Volunteers must first go throgh 25 hours of training, after which they will receive some supervision before mediating conflicts on their own or co-mediating conflicts with an APADRC staff member. The next training takes place in early January, so please call EunJi Bang for more information at (213) 250-8190 x14 or email her at eunji.bang@apadrc.org.Besides mediation volunteers, APADRC also needs volunteers for development (fundraising), information technology (Web site, computers) and marketing (media). Please call APADRC and speak with EunJi if you are interested in volunteering for any of these projects. |
|
|
| Coro Fellow placed at APADRC
By Charles Chang
For about three weeks, Parsa Sobhani, a Fellow from Coro was placed at APADRC to work on media strategy. APADRC does not have a dedicated media relations manager which hinders our ability to constantly promote ourselves and our programs to the media. Parsa developed a media strategy that will help us maintain a presence in the media in order to bring about awareness of our programs and events. Although it was a short placement, it definitely expanded our ability to work with the media.
The Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs annually exposes 12 individuals to all aspects of the public affairs arena through in the field placements in business, labor, governement, media, non-profit and political campaigns. The program builds effective leaders by preparing individuals through experiental immersion to assume leadership positions across all sectors. Additionally, site visits, interviews, individual and group projects prepare Coro Fellows to translate their ideals into action to improve our communities.
Coro is constantly looking for a diverse group of Fellows for their program and are looking to recruit more Asian/Pacific Islanders. The next application deadline is January 22, 2010. Contact Sam Filler, Recruitment Manager, at 213-346-3219 or sfiller@coro.org for more details.
|
|
Parsa Sobhani, a Fellow from Coro and Charles Chang, APADRC Executive Director
|
|
|
