Volunteer of Distinction Award
Each year, since 2010, MRJC recognizes an individual who has significantly impacted the Greater Edmonton Region through their commitment to Mediation and Restorative Justice and has demonstrated this dedication through exemplary MRJC service to the community.
2013 – Danny Cameron
Danny Cameron was an active supporter of MRJC as a member, mediator, Restorative Justice Facilitator and workshop facilitator.
His commitment to MRJC began in 2009 when he joined our volunteer Restorative Justice Facilitator Team. Danny actively worked with both the Victim Offender Restorative Dialogue program and the Building Safer Ground program.
In 2010, Danny became a volunteer mediator with MRJC’s Community Conflict Resolution program. He also started to volunteer in 2010 as a workshop facilitator for MRJC’s Redefining Conflict Workshop – Intro Series (formerly the Managing Interpersonal Conflict Workshop Series).
Danny started developing his conflict resolution skills in 2007 when he enrolled in the Certificate program in Conflict Management offered by the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society (AAMS). He continued his training at AAMS and completed his certificate in Restorative Justice in 2008. He took additional training with a variety of organizations in Facilitation, Coaching, Training, Advanced Peacemaking Circle training, Family Violence Intervention and in Working with Children and Youth at Risk.
Danny was a Mediator/Coach in private practice. He served as an instructor and skills coach with Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Alberta and was a skills coach and guest lecturer for the University of Alberta’s School of Business since 2008.
Danny was active on the Alberta Justice, Civil Claims mediation roster both as a solo and co-mediator. He co-mediated and facilitated workshops for Catholic Social Services. He actively worked in mediation and facilitation in Wetaskiwin County as a mediator, a Restorative Justice Facilitator and anger management class facilitator.
Danny also received a Bachelor of Applied Christian Studies from the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute in 2012.
Danny Cameron is recognized posthumously as MRJC’s 2013 Volunteer of Distinction Award for his dedication to MRJC and for promoting excellence and for his dedication to the advancement of mediation and restorative justice principles in the community.
According to fellow mediator and facilitator, Joanne Munro, Danny was “compassionate, sensitive, thoughtful and reflective in any case we worked on. His approach was down-to-earth, practical and kind. He was passionate about the field of restorative justice and looked for opportunities everywhere to bring a restorative justice approach to conflict and harm.”
Danny is dearly missed by everyone at MRJC.
2012 – John Skone
John Skone has played an instrumental role in the development and growth of MRJC. He is one of the Board and service delivery volunteers who came to MRJC when the merger occurred in 2000.
John has been providing volunteer community mediations for the last fifteen years. He was one of the original members of MRJC Board of Directors and served on the Board from 2000 until 2003. He left the Board of MRJC to take a on a role in helping to shape how our community and province respond to issues.
John was appointed by Edmonton City Council to the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Advisory Committee. He served on this committee until 2009. During this tenure he was always an advocate for MRJC and played a behind the scene role in receiving our funding from FCSS. John was appointed by Council of City of Edmonton, to the City’s Community Services Advisory Board (CSAB) in 2004 and served on this committee until 2009. The Community Services Advisory Board provides advice to Council and the Community Services Department regarding long term planning for community services in Edmonton. The Board raises issues and offers advice related to the scope of the department's mandate (arts, cultural, multi-cultural, parks, recreation, sports and social policy).
In 2006, John was elected as representative and Board member for City of Edmonton at Provincial level of Family and Community Support Services.(FCSS-AA). FCSS-AA is a key partner with the provincial government and advocates on behalf of member community boards.
As a Construction Specialist and Consultant, John has been involved in speaking to Professional Groups in promotional and informative roles related to Alternative Dispute Resolution and its particular application to Construction matters.
Volunteering with MRJC has not been the only place where John has used his mediation skills. He has volunteered with the Alberta Justice – Provincial Claims Program since program’s inception in 1998. He is a volunteer on the roster with the Civil Mediation Program sponsored by the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.
When MRJC returned to restorative justice work, John was one of the first group of members who took additional training towards a Certificate in Restorative Justice and joined the facilitator roster.
In 2010, when John’s involvement with the local FCSS Committee was completed, he rejoined the MRJC Board of Directors in the role of Treasurer. His motivation to serve on the Board was to contribute to advancement and satisfaction of MRJC’s volunteer membership in areas of Social Need and Conflict Resolution.
2011 – Peter Windel
Peter has played an instrumental role in the development and growth of MRJC as a hub for conflict resolution practitioners to bring forward the principles of mediation and restorative justice to the Edmonton community. His involvement with the organization began even before its inception. He had volunteered for 7 years with Edmonton Community Mediation and then contributed to its merger with Victim Offender Mediation to create what is today the Mediation & Restorative Justice Centre. His numerous activities since then have included two years as Board Chair and he has also served as a volunteer mediator, facilitator, and fund raiser.
During his time as MRJC Board chair, Peter was directly involved with planning and the creation of an organizational mission, visions, values, goals and strategies which have guided the organization to where it is today. He contributed to the development of the organization's philosophy statement, code of ethics, volunteer recognition, and confidentiality policies. When MRJC did not have an Executive Director, a lot of time was spent helping on the front lines including fund development, networking, promotion, creating reports, program development, and even spending time with the part-time staff who often worked alone in the office. A significant accomplishment during his two years as chair, was his leadership in transitioning the organization from a struggling annual budget of $40 000 to $520 000.
Peter also did significant planning and development for the study of mediation for situations of Domestic Violence that laid the foundation for the current Building Safer Ground Program. He initiated a relationship with Children and Family Services to explore the idea further, and conducted several pilot mediations in 2005. Peter created reports and initiated research that led to the funding of the project. He created a questionnaire for contracting a Project Manager for Domestic Violence project which evolved into the Building Safer Ground program.
In addition to his board and administrative role, Peter has been a key service delivery volunteer for the Community Mediation Program since the organization began. He has done more than 30 mediations involving 100 clients or more. Peter utilized his management and facilitation skills to lead a special multi-party file involving representatives from The City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues. He assisted them to move beyond a longstanding and complex matter to the point of mutual understanding and collaboration. Recently, Peter has agreed to assist MRJC in redefining the case development process to include conflict analysis and coaching.
Peter’s related activities in the community have included 10 years as a mediator for Civil Claims mediation program, five years as mediator with Catholic Social Services Parent Teen mediation program, and carrying out numerous workplace mediations and coaching sessions within his employment role through the RCMP. He has contributed to the learning and individual growth of other mediators by developing training programs and teaching about methods of mediation, case building, and coaching.
2010 – Jan Moran
Jan Moran is an outstanding example of someone who has not only given the exceptional gifts of time, passion and expertise to MRJC, but she has also contributed to other community initiatives that have had a significant impact in the field of conflict management and restorative justice in Alberta.
During her career and over the past 20 years with MRJC and its predecessor, so many lives have been impacted by Jan's facilitation, of workshops and small groups, very often when she served in a volunteer capacity.
Jan was a key force in the establishment and founding of the Alberta Restorative Justice Association and continued is a proponent of its continued growth.
From 1994 until 2001, Jan served as a Trustee for the St. Albert Catholic School Board.
Jan was also a Board Member of the St. Albert Community Services Advisory Board (FCSS) from 1993 until 2000.
Jan has assumed different roles at MRJC including serving as a Board Member (2001 until 2007 which included managing the organization for three years), a community mediator and restorative justice facilitator.
As a member of MRJC, one of Jan’s goals was to see the return of Victim Offender Mediation as a sustainable program which she accomplished after four years of hard work. She succeeded, by first establishing a research project into using restorative justice principles in domestic violence cases.
Jan served on an MRJC Board committee that put forward a grant application to fund a research project on the feasibility of restorative justice in Alberta, and to follow this up with a provincial symposium of restorative justice practitioners and interested parties. The application was successful, and as a result, a Provincial Steering Committee was formed to examine the feasibility of establishing a provincial restorative justice association to promote restorative justice as a viable option and alternative for justice in Alberta.
