Our Story
Where Conflict Becomes Opportunity
Conflict is a part of being human.
What we do with it changes everything.
Since 1992, CRU Institute has been teaching young people peaceful, effective ways to resolve conflict and to build understanding, respect, and cooperation in a multicultural world. What began as one woman's frustration with the legal system has grown into a movement empowering students to become leaders, listeners, and problem-solvers.
A Better Way Forward
Determined to shift from confrontation to collaboration, Northwest Mediation Service was founded. It brought together legal and mental health professionals to help divorcing couples resolve disputes peacefully.
In just a few hours, families who might have spent months in court reached agreements together. The model worked. It was efficient. It was human-centered. It restored dignity, but after years of mediating adult conflict, Ms. Kaplan saw something deeper.
Prevention
She realized that by the time adults reach divorce court, communication patterns are already deeply entrenched.
What if conflict resolution skills were taught earlier?
What if young people learned empathy, listening, and responsibility before conflict escalated?
In the late 1980s, Ms.Kaplan began bringing peer mediation into schools.
In 1992, she officially founded the CRU Institute.
The purpose was clear:
Teach students to resolve conflict peacefully and empower them to lead.
"I decided I didn't want to listen to people screaming about their divorces anymore. And I thought it might be more interesting to actually work with young people… maybe it could make it a preventative thing."
The Philosophy: Resolution Over Punishment
CRU Institute does not focus on punishment.
It does not focus on control.
It does not measure success by who "wins."
Instead, it focuses on the resolution process.
Students learn to:
- Take responsibility for their behavior
- Use "I" statements
- Practice active listening
- Understand different points of view
- Work toward solutions together
Because the solution matters less than how you arrive there.
"We often tell people that the solution to the problem is not as important as the process."
Through structured peer mediation, students guide one another through real conflicts, from playground disagreements to serious high school disputes.
Mediations are voluntary, confidential, and remarkably effective, with success rates of 90–95%.
More importantly, students leave satisfied with their solution and ready to cooperate in the future.
"It's not just solving problems. It's teaching communication skills, teaching empathy, teaching that people are different — and that isn't frightening."
Empowering Unexpected Leaders
Some of CRU's strongest mediators are not the "perfect" students. They are students who have struggled.
Students who understand conflict firsthand.
Students who are ready to be trusted.
Instead of labeling young people as problems to fix, CRU invites them to become leaders.
Peer mediation builds confidence, empathy, and self-esteem. Research shows that the program significantly improves students' sense of self-worth and a foundation for lifelong success.
"We take these kids who have had anger management problems and say, 'I think you could help other people solve their problems.' And they say, 'Yeah, I can do that.'… It's amazing how they change."
A Multicultural Mission
CRU Institute's work reflects a deep commitment to inclusion and diversity.
Nancy Kaplan raised a multicultural family of nine children, and the organization intentionally seeks trainers and mediators from diverse racial, cultural, and lived backgrounds.
The belief is simple:
Difference broadens and strengthens solutions.
CRU has trained peer mediators in hundreds of schools across the United States, Canada, Singapore, and Colombia, including a long-standing partnership with a bilingual school in Bogotá.
Conflict resolution is a universal language.
"The last part of the mediation training is being your own mediator."
The final and most important lesson?
Be your own mediator. When students internalize these skills, mediation no longer happens only in a designated room; it becomes part of daily life.
How the Training Works
CRU Institute's model is dynamic and experiential. There are no lectures.
Students learn through:
- Demonstration
- Role-play
- Supervised practice
- Interactive games
- Real-world scenarios
Two student mediators work together in every session, learning to collaborate as they facilitate.
The Legacy
More than three decades later, CRU Institute continues to shape school cultures, build student leadership, and transform how communities approach conflict.
Some former student mediators have grown up to become trainers themselves, living proof of the program's lasting impact.
Conflict will always exist.
But when young people are given the tools to navigate it with empathy, courage, and respect, conflict becomes something else:
An opportunity for growth.
Our Mission
To teach young people effective, peaceful ways to resolve conflict and to develop understanding, respect, and the ability to cooperate with others in a multicultural world. CRU Institute teaches young people conflict resolution skills and encourages understanding and awareness of cultural differences.