Informal Programming

The informal programs  has been the main operational activities we  are engaged in for the past years. This focuses on preventive measures, and restorative resolution of conflict through mediation between community members (parties in conflict). We have remained committed to conflict prevention, transformation, resolution and prevention of deviant behaviors.

This kind of cases or complaints are directly  filed  or reported by the community members who is, or are party to the conflict  and  needed an intervention  ( mediation) for a peaceful resolution  as opposed to involving  the criminal justice system- The professionals.

We also receive   an invitation  from  community members, or family member  of parties in conflict or potential conflict  for PALAVER HUT   intervention  in order to deter, resolve or prevent the  escalation  of the dispute / conflict – “PALAVER”.

The preventive measures deter or de-escalate conflict and deviant behaviors in our communities that could certainly save the time for police and other professional intervention. This piece of work will allow the law enforcement to concentrate on a more serious crimes and matters as opposed to distracting them with cases that could be resolve by the community leaders. As a popular saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”.

The type of informal programs and activities we have completed and  ongoing referred  to us  for dispute  resolution through mediation process are:

Family dispute: Dispute between partners / spouses, husbands and wife, children / youths and their parents. Youths violence and peer group dispute.

Community dispute: Dispute between different set of family members in the community and between community members. We used varieties of approaches to dealing with community dispute in diverse families in our community.

Counseling: We have also received and addressed cases loads on marriage, spiritual  and parenting counseling. As one of the models of healing process,  counseling  is an integral piece  of our work  in collaboration with other  partners  with counseling  expertise and referral purposes.

Psycho-social community based interventions   for both victims and offenders are ongoing program  areas