Overview

CICR’s uniqueness lies in its approach to communities.  Its Community-Based Conflict Resolution Program (CBCR) is designed to support communities to be harmonious and functional through developing the sustainable internal capacity to resolve disputes as they arise – i.e. to become a “conflict resolving community”.  In this context, “communities” refers to where we live, where we work, where we interact or have a sense of belonging.

The underlying principle for CBCR is: in order to establish union or collaboration within a community, everyone must have access and understanding of the methods and principles used in conflict resolution.  It is critical that the methods used in the school yard be the same in the community, those which are used by community organizations be used in the conference and board rooms of government and business and that the methods used by the keepers of the laws be available to those who are governed by them.

By its very nature, CBCR must be inclusive, barrier free and positively centered.  The ownership of the conflict and the choices related to the outcome are vested in the participants, as are the processes for settlement and resolution.

For a community to be fully conflict resolving, every member should have a basic understanding of the general principles and possibilities of resolving conflicts peacefully before they escalate.  Some members should have a strong skill level in being able to prevent conflicts or to resolve them when they arise.  A few members of the community must have a high skill level or at least have access to professionals outside the community for more complicated conflicts.  In all cases, the person leading the resolution process must not be a party to the dispute – referred to as a “third party neutral”. Finally the community should have a conflict resolution coordinator, someone who is responsible for ensuring new members receive basic training, organizing refresher training for members and bringing in outside resources as necessary.

CICR engages in community projects and programs in response to requests from organizations and communities across Canada, where the requisite financing is available.  Practical hands-on programming allows CICR to maintain its relevance and provides for feedback of lessons learned that are incorporated into training modules and other programming activities on a regular basis.

Experience

CICR has supported a wide variety of communities, including Police (Ottawa Carleton Police Service Cops and Kids Program), hopitals (Queensway-Carleton and Grace Hospital integration), First Nations' communities (Sioux Lookout), government departments and agencies, and neighborhood communities.