Fri 01 Oct 2021

QCRS Wrap Up

Posted by Ann.Lee

Many of our community will know that Mediate BC launched the Quarantine Conflict Resolution Service (QCRS) on March 24, 2020 as an immediate response to the then emerging COVID-19 pandemic and the various conflicts it created and exacerbated for people in BC. As the program wrapped up on September 30, 2021, we want to celebrate the program and the people who have made it possible! 

We are so incredibly grateful to the many Roster mediators who responded to our call to help, our various community partners and organizations, including mainstream media, who have promoted our program and have referred clients to us. We are also particularly thankful for the leadership of Amanda Semenoff and Sharon Sutherland in creating and guiding the program and the regular Communities of Practice meetings over the last 18+ months.

What Resulted From This?

Public inquiries to the program have included: 

• Housing, including landlord/tenant - about 50% of inquiries!
• Roommates
• Co-parentingi(ncluding changes to income and child support)
• School related (including parent-admin conflicts)
• Employment/return-to-work
• Workplace issues
• Comstomer-business (including mask wearing)

These have taught us a lot and have helped us identify gaps in services where Mediate BC and our Roster mediators are able to assist. We have since launched and continue to run Virtual Pro Bono Conflict Resolution Clinic, Civil Pro Bono Roster, Non-Profit Housing Mediation Service, Mentored Mediator Program, as well as low bono appointments. The Conflict Coaching for Teachers program, also resulting from feedback we’d received from the public, ran from September 2020 to June 2021.

What's Next?

We continue to get many of the same types of calls and we will continue to serve the public by directing their inquiries to appropriate resources, including promoting mediation and Roster mediators. Staff always aim to connect someone needing mediation and med-arb help to those on our Rosters, as appropriate. If you know of folx who would have been eligible for QCRS, please still direct them to contact us at lowbono@mediatebc.com or call 1-877-656-1300 x105.

For Roster mediators who would like to  contribute in other ways, please email Roster Manager, Tamara Ziemer, to volunteer for the above services that are still running. You can also look forward to an email and survey asking for your willingness to take on low bono, housing and other types of appointments. We are also looking to expand the Virtual Pro Bono Clinic as we are hearing from attendees about how useful and helpful it is to speak.

Stay tuned as we internalize the learnings for more innovation and continue to support the public!