Literature Review of Mediation Advocacy

Mediation is the process of using a third party person (neutral) to help conflicting parties settle disputes outside the court. The third party person is often referred to as the mediator. The mediator is not a decision maker, but helps the parties come to a conclusion, which is non-binding to the parties, and this can further result to settling their case elsewhere if they feel dissatisfied. Advocacy, on the other hand, seeks to help people in the society be able to raise their voice and express their views, access services and information, and help them know their rights and responsibilities. An advocate is used in such cases.

Human services agencies in advocacy and mediation on the national level involve a person of high moral character, one who is knowledgeable and has an open mind. The individual should advocate for the company while maintaining one’s personal belief in the organization. The mediator is not to be in favor of either parties and, the most importantly, be honest.

We are going to look at a case in London where the poor suffer from the lack of basic necessities and how the advocacy and mediation team in life span organization aids such individuals to overcome such challenges.

The first case is the Ontario works (OW), also known as welfare, is used to assist people from falling via the cracks. If a person is kicked out of OW, this leaves the individual with no form of income, and this could translate to one being homeless. An advocate appeals through a process of mediation with the OW works that terminated the victim’s income. There are many reasons as to why the OW works made such a decision, but mediation is believed to come up with a viable solution. Advocates in LIFE SPAN ensure that the individual is catered for inform of safe housing, food, and in case of medical condition, one is well covered and continued if the need will be.

Secondly, there is the Ontario Disability Support Program Act (ODSP), which majorly deals with the disabled persons. Those individuals who lack insurance and cannot work and are in possession of a few assets can apply for the program. An advocate assist in attaining medical supporting documents, seeing the relevant doctor and normally helps clients fill in the application form, which is at times complicated to fill. It is reported that 80% of the applications are never successful due to the lack of medical objectivity.

Finally, there is the Canada Pension Disability Benefit (CPP). This is a federal pension for the disabled people. In order for one to qualify for the benefits, he or she needs to have contributed to the CPP pension plan. Clients have to be assisted by advocates in the application process and accessing their medical reports. The application process is highly detailed and often confusing to individuals. The advocate also assists people of old age in application security and income supplement.

According to the findings provided above, one would conclude the following. The poor in the society have no voice in case they are overcome by challenging situation. Questions regarding what happen to them if they are unemployed or who will fight for their rights against employs because they at times feel intimidated arise. At times, these people will become homeless if no action is taken against their unemployment. Secondly, incase of disabled persons, their application would go unnoticed if they lack someone who will follow up on their behalf. In the case of retrieving gains from the pension firms, disabled individuals who lack access to the necessary requirements would never receive their pensions though those are legally entitled to them due to the lack of proper channels to claim for them.

I believe that mediation is in order. It usually helps people who are considered to be less fortunate in the society, the upper and middle class. The process does not discriminate but helps conflicting parties come to an amicable conclusion outside the court. Mediation is a less costly method as compared to when one has to follow the legal process to have his or her cases heard in a court of law. Mediation also helps individuals who are usually reserved in the community in that their cases do not go out to the public.

The process is appropriate considering the population that I have discussed above as it gives quick solutions to already ill-fated individuals. This hence provided relief to them in a short instance other than following up their issues in a court of law, which might be resolved in the long term.