Requirements to become a Mediator

Time Commitment
Mediators are expected to commit in the region of twelve hours per month. The times you are available can be individually negotiated.

Support
There are regular Case and Service meetings for mediators, together with individual support.

The Work
Mediators will work in pairs mediating neighbour disputes that are referred to the service.

You will only start to mediate after successful completion of the accredited training programme.
This may involve both or all parties being present or may involve working with just one party or with both parties separately.
Full mediation sessions will take place at neutral venues near the clients' homes.

About You
You will have good listening and communication skills and an ability to get on with people from varying backgrounds. We welcome volunteers of any age from 18 to 80 years.

Training
You will be expected to undergo initial and ongoing training. The training will cover the following mediation skills:-

• Impartiality - ie. to have concern about the outcome for both sides and have the ability to demonstrate that to each party.
• Good listening - ie. can empathise with the parties and listen actively.
• Creating trust - ie. to make the parties feel that their thoughts and feelings are understood, make them feel comfortable, give them a chance to make their own decisions whenever possible, to be truly interested in helping parties resolve their dispute.
• Persuasion and presentation skills - ie to realise the effectiveness of verbal expression, gesture and body language in communicating with the parties and use them appropriately.

Training Continued.....

• Inventiveness and problem solving - ie to demonstrate these qualities in the pursuit of collaborative solutions and in generation of ideas and proposals consistent with case facts which are workable for the opposing parties.
• Management of the interaction - ie to be effective in developing a strategy, managing the process and coping with conflicts between the parties.
• Self awareness - ie to pay attention to own feelings and behaviour so as not to treat the parties unfairly without realising it.
• Flexibility - ie to be able to change process in order to meet the needs of each situation.
• Balance - ie to recognise own feelings and balance them with the needs of the situation; to match the need for authority and control with the concern for the parties; to have the analytical ability to assess realistic chances of change and agreement; know when to stop and when to continue.
• Understanding of situation and people - ie to have experience with people, some understanding of various kinds of behaviour, the necessary substantive knowledge and a familiarity with relevant rules or guidelines.
• Professionalism - ie to take work seriously, to be prepared and on time and respectful to parties at all times.