The goal of our program is to assist individuals in working together to solve problems, play a role in decision-making, and formulate creative solutions to issues in dispute. Our mediators are vital to the success of our program in helping resolve community and domestic disputes, offering citizens in Southeast Oklahoma the opportunity to restore peace and trust.
Early Settlement Volunteer Mediators met on Friday, April 28th for the 40th Annual Volunteer Mediator Conference. The conference is a way for ES volunteers from around the state to meet once a year for fellowship and comradery! The state program gives back to their volunteers by providing extended conflict resolution trainings to enhance knowledge and skills in the field of mediation. Thank you to the High Conflict Institute for providing two outstanding presentations to our volunteers! Thank you to everyone who attended!Congratulations to Tom Lackey as the Fiscal Year 2022 Volunteer of the Year for the Southeast Program. Tom has been a volunteer mediator for Early Settlement for over 3 years and holds Basic + Family certifications. Tom has also completed the requirements to facilitate Child Permanency mediations. In 2022 Tom mediated 56 cases totaling 343.5 volunteer hours to the community through our program! Thank you for your community service through Early Settlement!Did you know that 73% of cases that utilize Early Settlement Mediation Southeast reach an agreement? That means that individuals are in the front seat of the decision making and owning their resolutions!Welcome out newest volunteer mediator, Cristal! Cristal is originally from Texas where she retired as a superintendent and.. a mediator where her expertise covered areas of probate, family law, and educational law. Cristal lives in Broken Bow and has completed both Civil and Family trainings and received her certification in both this month! Cristal says that “mediation provides an opportunity for both parties to take back some control of the situation and be heard without the formality of the court room setting. I want those who cannot afford the services to have an opportunity to utilize the services. I want to give back to my community and serve those who need the assistance. Mediation is a valuable tool to settle a wide variety of disputes and can unclog our over worked court systems, especially with the back-log that has been created by COVID.” We are so excited to have Cristal join our team and make a difference in the communities of SE OK!Please help us welcome Rebecca “Becky” Going to the Early Settlement Southeast team! Becky is our new part-time coordinator at our satellite office in Idabel. Becky has lived in Broken Bow most of her life. She is a retired substitute teacher and has worked within the community the major of her life. With her ties to the community and her work experience, we know she will be an asset to the program!
The Early Settlement Southeast hosted the 2022 Volunteer Luncheon on May 24, 2022 at the Pittsburg County Courthouse in McAlester, OK! The local volunteer mediators enjoyed lunch along with mediation trivia, great thought-provoking conversations, prizes, and shared many laughs! Thank you to the volunteers who attended and we missed our volunteers who weren’t able to make it this year! We are so thankful for our team!
Early Settlement Southeast Program Director Sara Northcutt speaking to the Broken Bow Lion’s Club in Broken Bow Oklahoma with Associate in efforts to recruit volunteer mediators
Early Settlement Southeast Program Director Sara Northcutt speaking to the Idabel Lion’s Club in Idabel Oklahoma with Associate Judge Kenneth Farley in efforts to recruit volunteer mediators
Thank you to our volunteer mediators who dedicate their time to serve the courts and their communities through the Early Settlement Southeast Program. Team work makes the dream work!
The Southeast program is growing — and we want you to join us! As a volunteer mediator, you will assist people in your community in resolving conflict.
