The November 22 (9:00 – 5:00 Eastern Time), 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, December 1 (9:00 – 1:00 Eastern Time) session will be Virtual Instructor-Led using ZOOM technology. The Applied Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop is the most challenging and most unique mediation workshop we offer and for many it is the final piece in their Executive Certificate in Conflict Management. It is very hands-on and there are fewer lectures than in the other workshops.
You will deal with complex mediation issues such as: use of pre-mediation caucuses, closing the gap between parties, dealing with ethical challenges and multi-party disputes.
Curriculum:
You will participate in eight challenging mediation role plays, each of which is coached. The role plays are followed by instructor-led debriefs on advanced mediation and conflict resolution skills. The role plays will cover key skills for dispute resolution and mediation including:
- dealing with parties who withhold or mislead on important facts;
- how to mediate with lawyers and with unrepresented parties;
- resolving complex issues;
- evaluative and facilitative facilitation styles;
- shuttle mediation techniques;
- using pre-mediation meetings and caucuses;
- mediating purely financial cases;
- working from and towards a draft agreement;
- handling ethical challenges, harassment issues, racism, strong emotions, and
- entrenched history;
- dealing with unreasonable parties;
- confidentiality issues; and
- obtaining closure.
Mentoring Sessions
In addition to the role plays, participants will participate in a mentoring session directly with one of our instructors, working one-on- one with them on a topic of your choice.
During the mentoring session, you apply the skills learned at our workshops to a real problem/issue that you are dealing with, either personal or work-related. You can choose to work on developing a desired skill, responding more effectively to an externally-created challenge (like aggressive behaviour from clients), or preparing for and strategizing on dealing with a specific scenario you are facing (like a tough dispute). You then work individually with one of the instructors to find innovative ways to deal with the problem. You will review your issue with the instructor and then tackle it (trying different approaches) under the instructor’s supervision. We will show you ways to exercise skills and approaches effectively and you will be given a chance to practise them. You will receive constructive feedback from the instructor on how to improve, and will be able to observe the instructor demonstrating tools and techniques relevant to the skills and problem chosen. You will leave with an action plan of new approaches to apply to your situation.
Filming is available at your discretion in the Toronto courses (you would review the video with the instructor in a confidential setting). When you watch the video, you’ll be surprised how much you learn by observing yourself try different approaches. You’ll then be given the video to keep.
The skills you may wish to work on during the mentoring session can include:
- Remaining rational in the face of strong feelings
- Expressing strong feelings appropriately
- Being assertive without damaging the relationship
- Dealing with unrepresented or unreasonable parties
- Ethical challenges for mediators and how to respond
- Improving a relationship in a negotiation
- Speaking clearly in ways that promotes listening
- Actively inquiring and listening
- Becoming a mediator
- Multi-party community mediation issues
Observe a Real Mediation
After the course, you will have the opportunity to sit in on a real mediation in Toronto with one of our mediators or via ZOOM.
Workshop includes 9 mediation case studies (of which each participant will do 8) and 1 video.
Experienced coaches observe mediation case studies and give feedback. You will receive immediate and objective feedback, and insight into crucial mediation skills.
