Interested in becoming a mediator? Upcoming VOLUNTEER MEDIATOR TRAINING May 2024 Are you interested in being a part of something truly impactful? We’re hosting a Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) training session, and we’d love for you to join us! So, what’s VORP all about? It’s a powerful initiative where trained mediators facilitate face-to-face meetings […]
Active Listening: How to Show Someone That You Really Care
July 30, 2018 by
We always teach active listening when we train our mediators. Often, our trainees find out that they are not as skilled at active listening as they thought! Even though active listening seems simple, it is actually a special skill set that takes practice. So, what is active listening? Good active listening accomplishes 5 things: Shows […]
Improving Support & Self Esteem is the Best Way to Solve Truancy
July 10, 2018 by
Let us explain what we mean. What is truancy? Truancy is the term used to describe missing several days of school without an excuse. Usually, a child is considered truant after missing 11 or more days of school in Tennessee. In 2015-16 school year, 8 million students were considered chronically absent nationwide. Why does it […]
Attendance Awareness Month
June 18, 2018 by
September is attendance awareness month . It is a nationwide event recognizing the connection between school attendance and academic achievement. 7.5 million students miss 10% of the school year . Community Mediation Services is partnering with the Anderson County Schools in an effort to improve attendance and combat truancy in Anderson County Middle Schools. With […]
CMS Mediator Training Update
August 3, 2015 by
Our mediators are the life blood of CMS. We are so thankful for our committed volunteers. If you are interested please let us know below and we will get you additional information on upcoming training. There are other ways to volunteer at CMS. Check it out here or give us a call You may fill […]
Can Attendance Mediation Prevent School Dropouts? Can you help?
July 15, 2013 by
Are you interested in investing your skills and talents back into our community and helping children stay in school? Truancy is an epidemic plaguing most school systems. According to John Hopkins University , there can be a national rate of 10-15 percent chronic absenteeism , meaning that 5 million to 7.5 million students are chronically […]
CMS Truancy Project
March 10, 2013 by
According to Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, truancy, or unexcused absence from school, has been linked to serious delinquent activity in youth and to significant negative behavior and characteristics in adults. Their recent bulletin On Truancy Reduction: Keeping Students in School, supports and reenforces CMS’s initiative to establish a Truancy Mediation Project. According to the bulletin ” the juvenile justice system […]
What Does Mediation Mean to Me?
March 7, 2012 by
What is mediation ,what does it REALLY mean and what does that look like for ME?. Clients often bring such questions when they find themselves being referred by the court to our office for mediation. Webster defines mediation as the ” intervention between conflicting parties to promote reconciliation, settlement, or compromise “. The mediation process […]
Community Mediation Services receives award from East Tennessee Foundation
August 5, 2011 by
Community Mediation Services received at grant award from East Tennessee August 4th as part of the ETF 25th anniversary celebration. In order to demonstrate what the Foundation does in its 25-county service area, ETF awarded 25 grants of $2 500 grants to one nonprofit in each of the 25 counties they serve. ETF honored CMS […]
CMS receives State Proclamation
August 2, 2011 by
Representative John Ragan stopped by the office to present Community Mediation Services with a Tennessee House Joint Resolution honoring the positive impact CMS and its three programs have made in Anderson County. At CMS annual appreciation dinner State Senator Randy McNally read the Resolution to a crowd of CMS supporters and volunteers. We are very […]
