By John Naldrett, CEO Calm Mediation
It has been a year of significant change and growth at Calm Mediation — including for me personally, as I stepped into the role of CEO in June, succeeding Ed Procter. It is a privilege and a source of great pride to lead this special organisation into a new era, and I hope we can extend the life-changing impact of conflict resolution and Restorative Justice to more people than ever before.
Much of our impact is made possible by our wonderful volunteers, who never cease to amaze us with their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to Calm Mediation. Thank you for all that you do.
Peer mediation, new territory
This year, we ventured into new territory, particularly within our Peer Mediation work. We began a promising relationship with Ripple Primary School in Barking and Dagenham, whose Restorative approach to behaviour fits perfectly with the principles of mediation and active listening. We also expanded the project to Bristol and Blaise High School through our partnership with the Greenshaw Learning Trust and are now working with external mediation organisations in the West of England to support delivery. Alongside these new initiatives, we continue our long-standing relationships with Goldsmiths University, Bacon’s College, and the Charter School.
Unprecedented interest in Restorative Justice
We also continued to deliver Restorative Justice services across London under our MOPAC contract. This year brought unprecedented national attention to the field following the success of PUNCH at the Apollo Theatre — the powerful true story of Jacob Dunne, whose life, and the lives of his victim’s parents, were profoundly changed through the RJ process. Calm Mediation is proud to support Jacob’s ‘Right to be Heard’ campaign, which calls for every victim to be legally offered Restorative Justice. The recent tabling of an amendment in the House of Lords to enshrine this right in law marks a major step forward for the sector.
Our Neighbour and Community Mediation services have also continued to grow, with an increasing number of Housing Providers choosing to partner with us to address ASB and resolve conflict among tenants. This year we welcomed many new partners while maintaining strong relationships with councils and Housing Associations across London and beyond. We also continue to provide Workplace Mediation and have introduced a new approach enabling mediators to gain valuable experience by coordinating their own cases.
Training and development is key
Our Training Service delivered programmes for new Neighbour/Community and Workplace volunteers, as well as development sessions that support ongoing professional growth for all our volunteers. We have also increased the number of ‘Permission to Share’ model training sessions to ensure all volunteers — new and existing — are confident in this approach.
Unfortunately, not all news this year was positive. We were saddened to say goodbye to most of our Family Mediation service as we stopped taking on divorce, separation, and child arrangement cases. However, we maintain a strong signposting arrangement with our former Family mediators, who continue this important work through another local service.
Next year, we have much to look forward to as Calm Mediation celebrates its 40th birthday — a milestone that offers both a moment of reflection and an opportunity to renew our vision. We intend to mark this anniversary in a meaningful way and to use it as a springboard for expanding our reach further than ever before. I warmly invite you to join us on this exciting journey as we continue building a more peaceful, restorative future together.
