Neighborhood Mediation

For neighborhood mediation, the municipality of Aalten is affiliated with Humanitas Graafschap.

Problems with neighbors?

It happens everywhere. You are bothered by your neighbors and they may be bothered by you. It can range from minor irritations to major disagreements. If you can no longer work it out with the neighbors or if you don't know how to handle the conflict, neighborhood mediation can help you. Neighborhood mediation has been proven to help. The resolution rate is around 70%.

Neighborhood mediation: why and when?

In every street, irritations and conflicts can arise. For example, about the noise of children, bullying. gossiping, the barking dog, dirt in the front yard, overhanging tree branches or the way neighbors park their cars. You have addressed your neighbors about this but to no avail. A situation has arisen where often misunderstanding or fear is the cause of the unpleasant circumstances that you find difficult to deal with. Neighborhood mediators can help you and your neighbors get back on track.

What is a neighborhood mediator?

A neighborhood mediator acts as a mediator between neighbors or neighbors who have a conflict with each other. He or she listens to the story of both neighbors without passing judgment and is thus impartial. The neighborhood mediator helps the parties come up with a solution together that is acceptable to all. This way there is the greatest chance that the problem will not occur again. Every resident of the municipality of Aalten can use neighborhood mediation free of charge. A neighborhood mediator does his or her work voluntarily. In return, the mediators receive customized training and regular refresher courses. The mediators are supported by the neighborhood mediation coordinator of Humanitas Graafschap.

How does neighborhood mediation work?

Neighborhood mediation works like this:

  1. You contact the neighborhood mediation coordinator and explain what is going on.
  2. If the conflict is mediable, a community mediator will make an appointment with you for a meeting at your home.
  3. Then the mediator visits the other party. In a conversation, the mediator hears the other side of the story.
  4. If both parties agree, there is then a conversation between you and your neighbors on neutral ground.
  5. The mediator makes sure this conversation goes well. You and your neighbors make agreements together.
  6. Mediators work in pairs of two and everything said remains confidential.