Make an impact in YOUR community!
As residents of the greater Dayton area, we are all in this together. In 1987, the City of Dayton saw a different way for community members to be part of the process to address conflict effectively and make our community better. Today our volunteers receive cutting-edge training in conflict intervention and play an important role in the success of helping people manage conflict positively and constructively.
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The Center conducts more than 1,000 mediations and community impact panels annually with the support of community volunteers. The Center has trained more than 1,500 citizen mediators and panelist from diverse backgrounds and interests.
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Learn more about what becoming a volunteer looks like by listening to this WYSO story!
Be a mediator
Volunteer mediators support community members to have hard conversations with a goal of fostering empowerment and connection. Volunteer Mediators are trained in the Transformative Approach to Mediation. Volunteer Mediators:
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Support participants to strengthen their self-understanding and to be more responsive to the other party.
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Help participants explore the situation with each other, consider what the situation means to them, explore possible actions, and determine if and what decisions need to be made
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Develop a reflective mediation practice, to continually grow and learn as a mediator
Requirements: 35 hours of training including an initial 20 hours of classroom training and 15 hours of skill building over 9 months, as well as a observing mediations and doing a videotaped role play.
Volunteering as a mediator involves a two-year commitment. After completing 9 months of training, volunteers mediate once a month for at least 15 months. There is no cost for training for volunteers. We expect our next mediation to be in early spring, 2026.
Be a Community Impact Panelist
Our Community Impact Panel process helps young people and their families engage in transformative conversations about quality-of-life infractions that resulted in the youth receiving a ticket. In this Restorative Justice Process, Community Impact Panelists discuss how youth actions affect residents, public transport users, and downtown visitors, as well as the youth and their families.
All panelist applicants will be interviewed and, if accepted, will undergo training. Afterward, they commit to volunteering with the Dayton Mediation Center for at least one year, participating in panels once a month on Saturday mornings.
In your application, please include your unique community role (parent, business owner, student, etc.)
Be a front desk volunteer
In this role, volunteers assist the Mediation Center Staff and volunteers by greeting clients, managing paperwork, and performing other office duties. Front desk volunteers are needed on Saturday mornings from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm. The training for this role is “on the job” and volunteers must be comfortable learning as they go.