History, Mission, Vision
History
The Minnesota State Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution (OCDR) was created in statute in 2013 to help resolve disputes in the public interest and support collaborative problem-solving in Minnesota.
Prior to OCDR, the Minnesota State Office of Dispute Resolution (ODR) offered Statewide mediation and other dispute resolution services between 1985 and the early 2000s. OCD laid the foundation for what was later established as OCDR.
OCDR’s work over the past ten years has included successfully resolving a wide variety of public policy cases, delivering training for state and local government, and developing innovative partnerships to build conflict resolution capacity across Minnesota.
OCDR’s charge is found in Minnesota Statutes section 16B.361. Additional statutes that apply to OCDR’s work with community dispute resolution programs (CDRPs) are found in Minnesota Statute chapter 494 and section 13.88.
Mission
OCDR serves as a statewide catalyst to advance:
- Sustainable resolution of matters of public interest
- Effective collaboration and dispute resolution in state and local government
- Broad use of community mediation throughout Minnesota
Vision
- Minnesotans believe in the power of collaborative approaches and use them to solve problems, resolve conflicts, and create wise decisions.
Values
- Innovation: We value creativity, design thinking, and innovation. We utilize advancements in our fields of expertise and our learned experiences to think outside the box and problem solve in new ways.
- Inclusivity: We value and strive to create inclusive processes, where people are treated fairly and with dignity. We value and seek out diverse political perspectives. We believe geographic, demographic, ideological, and other differences enhance the work we do. We examine and continuously reflect on our own assumptions and biases.
- Impartiality: We value and practice impartiality on the substance and outcome of projects, working in an independent fashion, so we are a trusted partner for all parties involved in a conflict. We also acknowledge that impartiality can be a fraught concept. We use our values, self-reflection, and outside guidance to understand the impact of our services.
- Effectiveness: OCDR staff use efficient and consistent processes, clear and accurate communication, and up-to-date tools and skills to achieve positive results.
- Sustainability and balance: We strive for results and transformative outcomes while recognizing the high-intensity nature of our work. We endeavor to make our processes reasonably paced for ourselves and others involved. We take our time to find the right approach, tailored to the needs of those we serve.
- Generosity: We value generosity, sharing our work, and building the capacity of others. We refer to consulting partners when such a match is in the best interest of a project and support the community of conflict resolution practitioners.
Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) Statement
OCDR is committed to incorporating and acting on knowledge and practice in the field of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion in our policies, processes, planning, partnerships, and professional development. We are building on the insights of previous OCDR staff as well as incorporating new understandings in the field of DEAI, social justice, and racial justice. OCDR created a DEAI policy and procedure in 2023 to influence how we implement our work in OCDR’s service areas. Our understanding is continuously evolving, and we intentionally reflect on our progress. Our policy, procedures, and everyday practices around DEAI will change as we gather feedback formally and informally and reflect on our impacts over time.
