Unicamp's Chamber of Mediation and Collaborative Actions celebrates, in 2022, a year of good results in resolving conflicts and strengthening the culture of dialogue at the University. Established in August 2019, the body began its activities at the beginning of 2021, with the graduation of the first class of mediators. Over this period, the group gained experience thanks to the increase in demand for mediation between the university community and partnerships with other institutions. To increase the Chamber's visibility and promote the exchange of knowledge on the topic, Unicamp promotes, in June, the first Seminar on Mediation in a University Environment.
In 2021, the body carried out 12 conflict mediations between members of the University. This year, six mediations have already been concluded. The numbers only relate to cases that fall within the provisions of Resolution 032/2019, which created the Chamber and determines the situations subject to mediation. According to Maria Augusta Pretti Ramalho, lawyer responsible for the Chamber, even in cases where mediation is possible, there is often a long process of consultations and evaluations by mediators.
"As mediation is voluntary, sometimes one of the parties presents a matter subject to mediation, but the other party does not want to participate. We need to talk to all the actors involved in the situation, check who wants to participate, analyze the case, and then start to the process. That's why we carry out many consultations, but not all of them become mediation", informs Maria Augusta.
The group also intensified the Chamber's publicity at Unicamp units, explaining its work and the benefits of mediation in resolving conflicts. "I believe that demand should increase. People who have already gone through the process and achieved a positive effect have become advocates of mediation", he explains. Maria Augusta also attributes the increase in demands to the recognition of the importance of encouraging dialogue in the workspace.
"Restorative practices transform relationships. For example, I may offend you because of something I say. In mediation, I will have the opportunity to reformulate my speech and you will be able to explain why you felt offended", he details. According to the lawyer, even if one of the objectives is to prevent a case from becoming an inquiry or administrative process, mediation can occur after these processes have ended, as the focus is on caring for relationships. "Sometimes people are so contaminated by conflict that they can't sit down to talk. Mediation is good precisely for this reason, because interpersonal relationships continue to exist after the problem is resolved."
Partnership with MP-SP and training of new mediators
Volunteers from the Mediation Chamber also have the opportunity to work with the Nucleus for Incentives in Auto-compositing Practices (Nuipa), a body linked to the Public Ministry of the State of São Paulo (MP-SP) dedicated to proposing consensual solutions that operates in different spheres. "It is a positive partnership for the MP-SP because our mediators work at no cost. For us it is a good experience, as the cases that reach Nuipa are diffuse actions, issues linked to the environment, public health, housing, among others", highlights Maria Augusta.
This partnership may also expand the possibilities of action for Unicamp mediators. "In the future, perhaps we can become a mediation chamber to serve the city. Today we only serve the internal community, but we can become open to the population. It would be another service provided by Unicamp to society"
Given the growing demand for mediation, the Chamber also plans, for the beginning of 2023, a new edition of the mediator training course, offered by the Unicamp School of Corporate Education (Educorp). In the first edition, 48 mediators became able to work with the Chamber, 43 of which were from the University. To act as a mediator, it is not necessary to have legal training, just a specific course for the role, which expands the possibility of acting for people with different backgrounds. "We have a lot of demand for employees. There are already around 15 people interested in the next edition of the course. It is training that can change our personal lives, because we begin to see new possibilities in resolving conflicts in everyday life."
Adriana Ferreira, deputy chief of staff at the Rectory, believes that the Chamber's work adds to other policies for the diversity and well-being of the university community. "Many of the mental health problems arise from conflicts that last for years. We need to renew our culture and embrace diversity. This requires intense work. Unicamp is part of a society that has contradictions. We believe that the Mediation Chamber is an educational element, by showing that it is possible to resolve tensions through dialogue", argues Adriana.
Seminar to exchange experiences
To improve the group's formation and share experiences with other professionals and institutions, Unicamp promotes, on June 9th, the first edition of the Seminar on Mediation in a University Environment. The theme will be “Conflict management and collaborative practices in Universities as a mechanism for social transformation, education and Culture of Peace”. The event is organized by the Mediation Chamber and the Rector's Office. It will be held in the auditorium of the Social Benefits Management Group (GGBS), starting at 9 am, and will be broadcast on YouTube. Registration can be done on the website even3.com.br/seminariomediacao
In programming, the applications of mediation in the university context and the experiences accumulated by Unicamp, Unifesp and USP. There will also be a book launch Mediation and Restorative Practices in Universities: Experiences and Inspirations, from Editora V&V. In it, experts discuss the application of restorative justice principles in different university contexts. The work has chapters written by members of Unicamp: professors Dora Maria Grassi (IB) and Néri de Barros Almeida (IFCH), biologist Priscila Cristina da Silva (IB) and Maria Augusta, coordinator of the Chamber.
"Our purpose is to disseminate the culture of mediation in the university environment. Thanks to our inclusion policies, which have deepened in recent years, we realize that internal conflicts at the University need to be dealt with in a dialogical way", reflects Adriana Ferreira. It invites all interested parties to contribute to changing the culture at universities. "We hope that the discussions held at the Seminar reach other parts of the country, so that this experience can be shared."
