“She shines and she makes others shine too. Thank you for always showing up for others and for bringing out the best in everyone.”
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, the Civil Mediation Council are paying tribute to all the inspiring women in mediation.
Mel Bruce, Calm Mediation’s Peer Mediation Service Manager, received three nominations for her services to the mediation profession. Mel has been mediating since 1997 and has been a member of the Calm Mediation Team since 2000. During this time, the Peer Mediation Service has won many awards nationally and internationally.
“Having trained as a mediator in 1997, Mel Bruce has accumulated an impressive list of accolades for her work mediating a myriad of challenging cases involving anti-social behaviour, hate crime, gangs and youth violence, to name but a few. Mel has mediated in excess of 2,000 conflicts and trained over 3,000 adults and young people to become mediators.
Mel is currently excelling as Peer Mediation Manger for Calm Mediation. In one of the schools committed to the project, Bacon’s College in Rotherhithe, Mel has trained 500 students who have mediated 3,900 cases both inside and outside the college.
As a powerful testament to the inspiration Mel brings to those she has trained, former peer mediators, now with children of their own, have reached out to Mel to let her know that they wouldn’t be where they are today or have the careers that they have, without her input.
In addition to all of the above, Mel is a great colleague who is always fun to be around but also someone who will listen to your worries and offer support.”
Julie Clark, Restorative Service Manager, Calm Mediation
“Mel taught me to be a peer mediator when I was 16 and almost 10 years later, she trained my first group of peer mediators! Mel is such an incredible woman. She has always been very passionate about peer mediation and helping support young people and develop them to be the best version of themselves. I hope she knows how much I and others look up to her and take inspiration from her. She always listens with an open heart and mind and gives advice for dealing with tricky cases. Mel shines and she makes others shine too. Thank you, Mel, for always showing up for others and for bringing out the best in everyone.”
Nominator
“Mel is someone who has inspired generations of young people to learn more about mediation. I have seen first hand how Mel’s compassionate and direct approach stirs a belief in young people that they can make a difference in their communities. It was really moving to witness the trust and respect that Mel inspires simply by being herself. Mel is a gift to the world of mediation and her work is an investment in all our futures.”
Nominator
“I am truly humbled, moved and totally overwhelmed. I really do have the best job in the world. This means so very much to me.
May we continue to look after and train our young people to be the ambassadors for peace and conflict resolution of our future, the power is in their hands, we just need to believe and have faith in them.
Thanks so much to those who took the time to nominate and for even thinking of me, it is an honour I will never forget!”.
Mel Bruce
Find out more about Peer Mediation and Mel’s inspiring and award winning work with young people.
