Communal Peace and Conflict Work in Burgenland
The project Communal Peace and Conflict Work in Burgenland aims to contribute to social cohesion on the local level by establishing the basis for professional peace and conflict work.
Neighborhood Mediation Project
When conflicts with neighbors arise, they affect the quality of life because they touch on one's own personal sphere. The Oberwarter Siedlungsgenossenschaft (OSG) and the ACP have therefore joined forces and developed a mediation service for residents of OSG houseing complexes.
If someone reports a conflict to the OSG, the property manager can offer mediation or establish contact with one of the mediators from the ACP for an initial non-binding conversation. A team of six trained ACP mediators is available for this purpose. Residents can also directly contact the ACP.
Until March 2025, these mediations will be scientifically monitored by the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland / Department of Social Sciences to establish the mediation service on a scientifically sound basis.
Mediation - what is it?
First of all, mediation is an instrument for turning crises into opportunities. The starting point is a conflict in which the conflicting parties are supported by a trained, experienced and independent mediator. The aim is to find a solution that is as profitable as possible for all involved parties. The mediator leads the discussion and is responsible for the process, while the conflict parties are responsible for the content and the outcome. One of the key advantages of mediation is that solutions are self-generated and self-owned, rather than imposed from outside. Usually, conflicting parties come together at a table for mediation, but in certain cases it is also possible for the mediator to hold a limited number of one-to-one meetings and move back and forth between the parties. Participation in mediation is voluntary and thanks to funding from the state of Burgenland, free of charge. The mediator is obliged to maintain confidentiality.
