RECOURSE Volunteers

“Volunteering with RECOURSE is one of the most satisfying things in my life. I know that I have made a real difference in people’s lives and that I’m contributing to something larger than myself”.– Volunteer mediator since 2003, Santa Rosa

All mediation and facilitation services provided by RECOURSE are possible only because of our highly skilled volunteer mediators. Our mediators come from all walks of life and represent the diversity of Sonoma County.

RECOURSE volunteers must have at minimum 32 hours of mediation training, but most have many more hours of training in addition to the professional and life skills they bring to their work as mediators.

Our mediators are neutral facilitators, providing the support and skills required for people in conflict to communicate effectively and come up with mutually satisfying resolutions. RECOURSE mediators do not give advice, make recommendations or decisions. Rather, they empower parties to control the outcome themselves by helping them to see the needs and concerns that underlie and drive the dispute. By surfacing these interests people can find new ways to come to agreement that they may not have found on their own.

Become a RECOURSE Volunteer!

  • Are you interested in supporting others in our community to resolve their disputes?
  • Have you been told that you are an excellent listener and natural problem solver?
  • Do you want to be part of building peaceful households and communities?

Mediation is an art. Learning how to help people to resolve their disagreements with each other takes training, practice, a willingness to serve others and a commitment to the process of mediation.

To become a RECOURSE volunteer mediator you must have at least 32 hours of mediation training, with at least 16 hours of community mediation training (that is, co-mediation). RECOURSE conducts mediation skills training that fulfills both of these requirements 3 times per year. However, if you have equivalent training then contact us atinfo@recoursemediation.com or by phone at (707) 525-8545 to see if you can start mediating right away.

We would love to hear from you if you are bi-cultural Spanish-speaking!

Additional, free training is required for RECOURSE volunteer mediators to work in the following Programs:

  • Court Program – mediating day-of-trial cases in Small Claims, Civil Harassment, Unlawful Detainer and Family Law matters.
  • Guardianship matters
  • Restorative Justice Program for Youthful Offenders (REVORP) – mediating with juvenile offenders, their victims and the youth’s family. To work in this program you must be fingerprinted and go through a background check.
  • Senior Mediation – mediating with seniors on-site at senior living facilities
  • Divorce related mediation
  • Meeting Facilitation

If you would like to volunteer your time and help RECOURSE in the work we do, but do not want to be a volunteer mediator, we would love to hear from you. We need your help in these areas:

  • Administrative and office work
  • Interpreting and translating, particularly in Spanish
  • Fundraising events
  • Board of Directors and Board Committees
  • Outreach efforts and events

Ready to Volunteer?

Either give us a call at (707) 525-8545, or simply fill out the form below to request to have a representative from RECOURSE contact you as soon as possible.