The Mediation Center of the Pacific

The Mediation Center of the Pacific (MCP) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that was founded in 1979 to provide Hawaii’s people with peaceful approaches to working through conflict. MCP was one of the earliest established community mediation centers in the nation, and it has continued to grow and evolve since that time.

Over the years, MCP has developed programs and processes that meet the unique needs of Hawaii’s culturally diverse populations. Parties in conflict are assisted in resolving their immediate dispute, as well as in improving communication and strengthening their relationships for the future.

In addition to providing direct mediation and dispute resolution services, MCP is a critical resource for creating innovative dispute resolution trainings and programs for Hawaii’s courts, schools, businesses and communities. Through these trainings and programs, more people have the opportunity to work through their conflicts and avoid a legal or administrative proceeding.

The Mediation Center of the Pacific's mission is to provide high quality mediation and dispute resolution services to the people of Oahu that are affordable and accessible. The underlying goals of MCP's mission are building stronger communities through families, schools, the workplace and neighborhoods by reducing conflict; building collaboration; improving communication; teaching skills in managing conflict and self-sufficiency; and providing a model of practice for conflict resolution.

The Mediation Center of the Pacific provides direct conflict resolution services for a broad range of issues as well as training.

Direct mediation programs include

Housing Mediation: Conflict resolution for housing provider-tenant disputes, including eviction prevention/rent payment plans, security deposits, house rules, unit repairs, and more. Maintain a good relationship between landlords and tenants by addressing conflict in a non-adversarial manner. Currently, fees for landlord/tenant mediation are waived.

Divorce/Paternity Mediation: The least costly, less stressful approach to finalizing the terms of your divorce is through mediation. Impartial mediators help divorcing couples or couples with children talk and negotiate agreements on all of the issues that are required to be addressed to finalize a divorce or separation including: time-sharing and co-parenting plans, property division, and any other issues that impact the children or arise from a family relationship.

Kupuna Pono: Family conference and mediation service for families with an elderly family member. The elder family member (and caregiver) discuss their values and vision for the future with the family so they can create a family plan for long-term care and end of life decisions.

Community Mediation: Provides mediation services that help people talk to prevent and resolve conflicts. The dispute resolution services includes mediation and facilitation, resulting in voluntary, cooperative agreements. Using these processes, the Mediation Center assists people to resolve a broad variety of conflicts involving families, caring for elders, schools, couples, neighbors, condominium, youth, co-workers, small claims issues, and other matters.

Training opportunities include public courses available to the individual as well as customized, private training for organizations or groups.

Public trainings include

Basic Mediation Training: 3-day training to learn the fundamentals of mediation. Communication skills, negotiation tools, convening, and mediator ethics. No previous experience required. This training, or equivalent, is required to become a volunteer mediator at MCP.

Advanced Mediation Training: 3-day training to learn nuances and specific skills to further develop mediation skills. Prerequisite: Basic Mediation Training or equivalent

Mediation Skills for Managers: 1-day training of conflict resolution skills for the workplace and teams

Facilitation Training: 1-day training to learn how to facilitate group negotiations and discussions with limited conflict

Divorce Mediation Training: 3-day training focused how to mediate divorcing or separating couples and couples with children. Participants should be family law attorneys or have a good grasp of mediation skills

Groups or organizations that want to improve their members' conflict resolution skills to proactively reduce harmful conflict and improve morale and productivity or to better manage unruly clients can contact MCP directly for private trainings that can be customized to fit your team's needs.