agentic-govbot/templates/dispute-resolution/peer-to-peer.md

Peer-to-Peer Dispute Resolution

A self-facilitated process where participants work together directly to resolve disputes

This dispute resolution protocol can be integrated into any governance constitution as an article on conflict resolution.

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Article: Dispute Resolution

Section 1: Principles and Values

Core Values This community emphasizes:

• Open dialogue and direct communication
• Mutual respect between all parties
• Collaborative problem-solving
• Focus on solutions rather than blame
• Voluntary participation with encouragement

Community Standards

• Standards maintained in shared digital and physical formats
• Reviewed annually by the community
• Accessible to all members
• Bot maintains current version

Section 2: Initiating Dispute Resolution

When to Use Members should initiate dispute resolution for:

• Interpersonal conflicts between members
• Disagreements about community practices
• Misunderstandings requiring clarification
• Relationship repair needs

How to Initiate

1. Submit incident report to @govbot
2. Document: parties involved, events, evidence, desired outcomes
3. Available in electronic or paper format
4. Bot notifies all parties and provides process guidance

Voluntary Participation

• Participation is voluntary but strongly encouraged as first step
• Treated as good faith effort to resolve conflicts
• If party declines, coordinator reaches out to understand concerns
• Alternative paths available if unsuitable

Section 3: The Peer-to-Peer Process

Self-Facilitation Participants manage the process themselves:

• No third-party facilitator required
• Bot provides guidance on communication techniques
• Participants choose meeting location
• Scheduling arranged mutually

Ground Rules All participants agree to:

• Take turns speaking without interruption
• Use "I" statements about personal experience
• Ask clarifying questions to understand better
• Summarize understanding to confirm accuracy
• Focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems
• Respect confidentiality of the process

Meeting Structure Typical process (60-90 minutes):

1. Each person shares their perspective
2. Ask clarifying questions
3. Identify common ground and differences
4. Joint brainstorming of potential solutions
5. Agree on specific actions or outcomes

Section 4: Assessing the Dispute

Joint Assessment Participants work together to identify:

• Specific issues that need addressing
• How each person has been impacted
• Relevant community values at stake
• What resolution would look like
• Requirements for moving forward

Scope and Jurisdiction This process is suitable for:

• Most interpersonal conflicts between members
• Communication breakdowns
• Disagreements about behavior or actions
• Relationship tensions

Escalation Criteria Must escalate to higher level if dispute involves:

• Illegal activity
• Safety risks to individuals or community
• Harassment or serious code of conduct violations
• Power imbalances requiring facilitation support

Section 5: Deliberation and Problem-Solving

Discussion Process

• Open conversation about the situation
• Each person's needs and concerns heard
• Clarifying questions encouraged
• Joint exploration of options
• Creative brainstorming of solutions

Adding Support

• Initially involves direct parties only
• If deadlocked, may invite one mutually trusted person
• Support person helps facilitate, doesn't decide
• Keeps process peer-to-peer focused

Reaching Conclusion Process concludes when:

• Participants feel issues thoroughly explored
• Ready to make decisions about resolution
• Clear about agreements and next steps
• Or agree to escalate to facilitated process

Section 6: Resolution Outcomes

Types of Resolution Successful peer-to-peer process may result in:

• Clarifications clearing up misunderstandings
• Apologies for harm caused
• Behavioral agreements for future interactions
• Restoration of harm (returning items, making amends)
• Agreed boundaries for future relationship
• Recognition of different perspectives

Documenting Agreements

• Parties can document agreements if desired
• Submit to @govbot for record-keeping
• Not required but recommended for accountability
• Bot sends reminders if follow-up scheduled

Mutual Agreement Required

• Both parties must agree to any resolution
• No imposed outcomes in peer-to-peer process
• Partial agreements acceptable
• Can agree to disagree on some points

Section 7: When Resolution Doesn't Work

Escalation Path If peer-to-peer doesn't resolve the issue:

1. Acknowledge that escalation is needed
2. Refer to trained mediator pool via @govbot
3. Mediators trained in more formal processes
4. Professional referral connections available if needed

No Penalty for Escalation

• Escalation is normal, not a failure
• Shows good faith effort was made
• Some disputes need more structured support
• Community values trying direct resolution first

Section 8: Follow-Up and Accountability

Checking Agreement Follow-up available when:

• Agreement isn't working as expected
• Circumstances have changed significantly
• One party requests check-in
• Scheduled follow-up time arrives

Requesting Follow-Up

1. Either party submits written request to @govbot
2. Request focuses on specific agreement issues
3. Initiates new conversation
4. May adjust agreements as needed

Learning and Improvement

• Bot tracks anonymized patterns (not individual details)
• Quarterly summaries help community learn
• Information limited to involved parties
• Success patterns shared to help others

Section 9: Information and Privacy

Confidentiality

• Details limited to parties directly involved
• Not shared publicly without consent
• Bot maintains secure records
• Anonymized data only for community learning

Access to Information

• Parties have access to their own case documentation
• Quarterly anonymized summaries shared with community
• Statistics help improve process
• Individual privacy protected

Record Retention

• Bot maintains dispute resolution records
• Available to parties for reference
• Supports accountability to agreements
• Helps track patterns needing community attention

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Implementation Notes for Bot

When facilitating peer-to-peer dispute resolution:

1. Make process accessible - Provide clear, simple guidance
2. Support self-facilitation - Offer communication tips without taking over
3. Respect autonomy - Let parties control their process
4. Track agreements - Help with follow-up and accountability
5. Enable escalation - Make it easy to get more support when needed
6. Protect privacy - Keep details confidential
7. Learn from patterns - Use anonymized data to improve community

This process works best when community culture supports direct communication, members feel empowered to handle conflicts, and higher-level support is available when needed.