MII Conference 2010 - 'Towards a Requisite Variety of Mediation'
Over 160 delegates converged on the Grand Hotel Malahide on the 6th and 7th November, for the Mediators' Institute of Ireland's 12th Annual Conference.
It was great to see so many Mediators and ADR professionals returning this year from Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK and further afield, and also a good number of new members. Thank you to all who gave feedback - we are delighted that so many of you found so much of interest and inspiration across the two days.
Mary Rafferty, Chair of the MII Conference Committee.
The theme for 2010, ‘Towards a Requisite Variety of Mediation’ – reminding us of the importance of embracing a diversity of approaches and thinking as Mediators – was reflected throughout the weekend in a broad variety of workshops.
In her opening address to Conference, Karen Erwin, MII President, spoke of the key changes in legislation that provide for the use of mediation, and the growing awareness of the value of mediation as an effective form of dispute resolution. Citing the true cost of litigation in civil cases as being in the region of €1.2 billion per year, she called on Government Departments, local government, state agencies and semistate bodies to introduce, with immediate effect, a policy that mediation be actively and positively considered as the default position for dispute resolution.
The keynote speaker, Dr Martin Wright, Senior research fellow at the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, presented an inspiring keynote address on the subject of restorative practice and its many applications, both preventative and remedial, in a variety of contexts across different jurisdictions.
L-R: Dr. Martin Wright, Keynote Speaker; Karen Erwin, President, The MII; John O'Dowd; Jim Bryant; Lorraine Bramwell
Generic and specialist aspects of mediation were explored in a number of workshops: Jim Bryant used Drama Theory to explore approaches to the process of resolving differences; Lorraine Bramwell examined the apparent dichotomy presented by seemingly competing needs of regulation and creativity in mediation; the ‘artful’ use of questions, a key tool for Mediators was the theme of Delma Sweeney’s workshop; Fiona McAuslan and Julie McAuliffe focused on centering yourself as a Mediator in the emotive environment of a high conflict session; mediation and the law were juxtaposed in Fergus Armstrong and Ian Finlay’s exploration of right brain and left brain activity; and Ewan Malcolm challenged us as Mediators to look at how dissonance between our beliefs as professionals in managing conflict and our behaviours in other contexts can negatively impact on our practice of mediation.
L-R: Anne Marie Blaney; Fiona McAuslan and Julie Mc Auliffe; Fergus Armstrong; Ian Finlay
Practical aspects of mediation aspects were the focus of three workshops: Frances Stephenson and Austin Kenny drew on their own backgrounds and experience to facilitate learning around building and marketing our practice as Mediators; supervision and case consultation were the theme of Ewan Malcolm’s Sunday morning workshop; and on foot of the updated MII Code of Ethics and Practice, Eimear Hayden and Michael Conlon looked at issues that might arise for Mediators around ethical or legal dilemmas.
L-R: Bill Marsh; Delma Sweeney; Frances Stephenson and Austin Kenny; Elizabeth Stokoe
A number of workshops focused on sector-specific themes: John O’Dowd described how mediation works in the context of management-union disputes; Anne Marie Blaney gave an overview of the upcoming ‘Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009’; Bernadette Casey, Margaret Ramsay and Gary Keegan explored key themes and generated discussion on the context and developments of Elder Mediation in Ireland; and Elizabeth Stokoe introduced a concept known as ‘Conversation Analytic Role-play Method’ (CARM), in which communication training is done via live unfolding of real neighbour complaints. Helping participants think through the true risks of resolving/not resolving the dispute versus going to trial was the theme of Bill Marsh’s workshop.
L-R: Ewan Malcolm; Bernadette Casey and Gary Keegan; Margaret Ramsay; Eimear Hayden and Michael Conlon
One of the highlights of the Saturday night was the table quiz, which while it did draw on some collaborative skills at each table, left mediation principles such as ‘win/win’ outside the room in a race to be the table with the highest score! Another very positive event during the conference was the open discussion that took place in facilitated small groups during the AGM, following the formal business of the meetings, where people had an opportunity to highlight what they felt was working well in the MII and also areas that might be improved upon.
All in all, this year’s conference in the lovely seaside town of Malahide was a very successful and enjoyable event and the Conference Committee is already working on plans to make next year’s Annual Conference even more memorable!
Mary Rafferty, Conference Committee Chair, The MII
November 2010