Cyrenians host online session to help people reconcile with friends and colleagues following the independence referendum
Scottish charities and the general public are being invited to meet up online and help each other become friends again this Friday following fallout from the independence referendum.
Organised by family mediation specialists the Cyrenians’ Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution (SCCR), a panel of experts will take to its Twitter page to give people tips and tools on how to deal with arguements that have risen at home and at work among family and colleagues following the big vote.
The charity is urging other third sector organisations, mediators, advisors, or anyone involved in conflict resolution to get involved by sharing problems and solutions using the hashtag #tipsandtools.
Diane Marr, development manager at Edinburgh Cyrenians, and the lead behind the charity’s SCCR national initiative, said: “It feels like a lot of people are struggling just now with different and often very polar views, often across families, friends and even partners.
“We want to try to do something that helps pass on some expert advice to those people on how to resolve conflict, and play even just a small part in trying to heal some of the rifts that have come about.”
We want to try to do something that helps pass on some expert advice to those people on how to resolve conflict, and play even just a small part in trying to heal some of the rifts that have come about
Cyrenians will be chatting to people via its Twitter and Facebook pages throughout the day and has also set up a special session on its social media channels where experts will answer questions and give advice between 12 – 2pm.
Marr has already published a blog about conflict resolution on the SCCR website and will be adding her 12 top tips for avoiding conflict to it on Friday.
Stephen O’Rourke, a member of the Faculty of Advocates and a mediator taking part in the Twitter session on Friday, said: “Talking to friends and family, I think there is a remaining undercurrent of conflict that has the potential to boil over again throughout the stages of the coming journey.
“Much of the debate has been civilised and carried out in a manner that should make Scotland proud. But this initiative is aimed at ensuing we can keep that up in the months to come. I hope to share some ideas to help resolve any sense of conflict.”
