Community Mediation: Building Trust Between Parents and Educational Teams

What is the goal of the program?
To improve the quality of communication and relationships between parents of students with disabilities and educational staff, through professional mediation processes. The primary goal is to transform conflicts into opportunities for learning, building trust, and developing educational-community partnerships.
 

Who is the program for?
Parents of students with disabilities studying in both special and mainstream education, as well as educational and therapeutic teams working in Mati’as (Support Centers for Special Education) and parenting centers in the Northern District, who are interested in deepening their connection with families and improving dialogue and collaboration.
 

How does the program work?
A series of in-person biweekly meetings held at the Carmiel Mati’a, facilitated by Alumot Or and led by Adv. Gali Filovski – a certified mediator and expert in conflict resolution.

Each meeting includes a guided process featuring:

• Mediation tools for working through conflict

• Case analysis based on real-life situations

• Building a foundation for respectful, direct, and effective dialogue

• Identifying recurring patterns and strengthening listening and empathy skills

What makes this program unique?
This is the first time such a shared mediation process is being conducted within the education system- not as a one-sided effort, but as a joint learning experience for both parents and professionals.
It’s a groundbreaking initiative rooted in mutual recognition, partnership, and the understanding that effective communication begins with truly listening.
 

Why is this important?
The program reduces tension, builds a common language, improves the emotional climate in educational and community spaces, and lays the groundwork for deeper cooperation- for the benefit of children, parents, and staff alike.
 

The program is also available as a school-based professional development course through the Gefen program (Course No. 41555).