The quest is to find two words. It is a determined search to find these two words. These two words are the words that people in conflict will use. What words do you think they are? Swear words? What are the two words that people in conflict will Google to find a way to sort it out?
Mediation, sad to say, is not one of those words. We can can make it one of those words, in time. For mediation to become one of those words it has to be associated with another word that is presently closer to what people know they would like. So the first word I've been associating with the word mediation in cyber-space is apology. Apology mediation. ApologyPlus.org.uk features highly on a worldwide google search for the two words Apology Mediation, and top in the UK.
(The outcome of mediation often involves apology, ACAS research being that which I've seen showing the highest levels of apology & changed behaviour outcomes of mediation). Research I've undertaken in Bristol shows 88% of people wanting an apology. If this could be converted to 88% wanting apology mediation we'd be making real progress in conflict resolution work.
Clearly not everyone is going to type in apology mediation. Typing in "I would like an apology" works to bring people to ApologyPlus.org.uk There are many other phrases to be developed to create the cyber-space that more easily connects those in conflict with on-line and interpersonal means of sorting it all out and finding their resolution.
Examples of other ways to bring those in conflict into conflict resolution approaches are being worked out at the
Communicating Needs yahoo group
