Neighborhood Mediation

Barking dogs, a grumbling neighbor at the door every day, or neighbors arguing in the street. Three in ten residents say that nuisance by neighbors sometimes occurs in their neighborhood. In most cases the nuisance is not serious enough to call the police. Fortunately, neighborhood mediation offers a solution. 

Self-solving ability

Neighborhood mediation has been used successfully in the Netherlands for more than 20 years. Trained neighborhood mediators help to discuss conflicts between neighbors again so that they look for solutions together. Neighborhood mediation helps resolve 7 out of 10 neighbor disputes.

Ordinary people

This project relies almost entirely on the efforts of volunteers. People who themselves live in the neighborhood and are close to the neighborhood. People who themselves know what it is like to experience nuisance. Ordinary people. Almost anyone can learn the language of mediation.

Mediators are not just put to work. They receive basic training in neighborhood mediation and support from a professional from Impuls. The training covers active listening, basic attitude and conversation technique. 

As simple as this sometimes seems on paper, it is often so difficult in practice. "Everyone can see that the branches of neighbor A's tree are growing 3 meters into neighbor B's garden. Prune it!" Right? Nothing could be further from the truth. Neighbor A and B must come to a solution that works for both parties. What the mediator thinks about that is not important at all. 

Local cooperation

Neighborhood Mediation Kerkrade is a collaboration of the Municipality of Kerkrade, the police and the housing corporations HEEMWonen, Wonen Zuid and Wonen Limburg. Implementation is outsourced to welfare institution Impuls. 

Intermediate yourself

Are you interested in the process of mediation and want to know what it looks like? You can contact Helma Kölgen, Coordinator of Neighborhood Mediation Kerkrade Impuls. She can be reached at 045-5456351 and will be happy to explain what we do at Neighborhood Mediation and how we do it.

New volunteers are always welcome! By the way, to become a volunteer you do not necessarily have to live in Kerkrade.

Engage in neighborhood mediation?

Would you like to engage neighborhood mediation? You can contact Impuls at its general telephone number: 045 545 6351. Or send an e-mail to buurtbemiddeling@impulskerkrade.nl. You will be contacted within a few working days.