Youth Program Support

The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire is currently seeking volunteers to assist with its Youth Program. Volunteers will support peer mediation and positive peer influencers and encourage local youth to develop the skills to resolve conflict successfully. Free training is available.

• Peer Mediators are students trained to listen and help fellow students develop solutions to conflicts. These students help make their respective schools more peaceful places to learn and grow.
• The Positive Peer Influencer Program is a program designed to help local teens make healthy choices. This innovative program is a collaboration between The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System and the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team that trains Positive Peer Influencers at Alfred E. Beach High School, Herschel V. Jenkins High School, Islands High School and New Hampstead High School to serve as mentors to local middle school students. Positive Peer Influencers model healthy decision-making and speak with students about how to navigate to peer pressure.
• Restorative Youth Court (Currently Paused) is a youth-led diversionary program that positions trained youth volunteers as the lawyers, judge, bailiff and jury in sentencing hearings for students who have broken specified school code of conduct rules. This program utilizes restorative justice practices to promote behavioral change in students and reduce recidivism.

The Mediation Center helps individuals and/or groups resolve conflicts using a neutral mediator who helps keep the focus on reaching workable agreements. Unlike court proceedings, mediation is confidential and scheduled at the convenience of the parties involved. Parties also maintain control of the solution including the nature and scope of their agreements. Over the last 36 years, the Mediation Center has trained more than 500 volunteer mediators, conducted 10,000+ mediations and facilitated over 7,000 settlements.