Upside 413 outlines growing school mediation program, warns funding is uncertain after ARPA expires
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Summary
Upside 413 presented data on its school mediation and restorative practices in seven Pittsfield schools, citing ARPA funds that paid for two FTEs and reporting a sharp rise in referrals and mediations; organizers said they are seeking new funding sources.
Pittsfield — Upside 413, the Berkshires’ dispute-resolution nonprofit, presented its school mediation program to the Pittsfield School Committee Feb. 26 and described a sharp increase in demand after city ARPA funding allowed the organization to hire staff.
Kayla Allen, program director, said the mediation program currently serves seven Pittsfield schools (Morningside, Conte, Reed, Herberg, Taconic, Pittsfield High School and Eagle Academy) and offers mediations, restorative circles and conflict coaching. Allen said the city’s ARPA funds enabled the program to hire two full-time staff in 2023, after which referrals and interventions increased markedly.
Allen provided program statistics for September–December of the current school year: 153 referrals, 114 mediations, 9 restorative circles and 32 conflict-coaching sessions in that period. She also said a full-time bilingual mediator focused on multilingual students handled 23 mediations, 7 circles and 30 conflict-coaching sessions in the same timeframe.
Upside 413 staff said the program prioritizes early intervention to diffuse conflicts and supports mediation between students, student-teacher mediations, and conflict coaching for individuals. The group emphasized neutrality: it is an independent nonprofit and does not work for the district.
Committee members praised the program and asked about sustainability. Allen said ARPA funding is scheduled to expire in June and the organization is seeking continued funding from state programs, local grants and private sources, including an application to Berkshire United Way and support from the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration. Committee members suggested local partners such as the county bar association and school business partners as possible funding or volunteer supports.
No budget or contract was adopted at the meeting; Upside 413 asked the committee to consider small local contributions and to explore a light outreach/overview event with potential funders and partners.