Our trainers are experienced in Workplace and Commercial Mediation. MII Acredited Programme.

To develop knowledge and skills of Mediation with a focus on workplace and commercial Conflict disputes

To provide participants with an opportunity to acquire and practice the skills of Mediation and to be confident in conducting a workplace/commercial mediation.

Blended learning applying the principles of Adult Learning with a key focus of skill development through role play and case studies. MII role play assessment (100% attendance is required) with written assignment and completion of prescribed reading. Senior Trainers: Gerry Rooney and Ray Flaherty

Both Ray and Gerry have extensive experience in delivering Mediation and Conflict Resolution Skills training in Ireland, the UK and the USA.

Gerry Rooney a practicing mediator and experienced trainer of mediators. He is also an experienced investigator.

Ray Flaherty is a practicing mediator and is currently on the panel of Mediators with the new Private Residential Tenancies Board. Ray has been recommended by the Labour Relations Commissions for mediation and conflict resolution interventions.

(60 hours, plus 20 hours out of class work including e-learning). Pre-work (Approx. 5 hours)

• Online programme “Understanding and Defining Interpersonal Conflict – An Introduction to Conflict Management Skills”
• Part 1: Defining conflict and perceptions and how they emerge; and how to address difficult behaviours that can develop in a conflict situation
• Part 2: Understanding and Recognising the Use of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) behaviour and how you can become more effective in resolving interpersonal conflict.
• Whilst the programme has a focus on dealing with an interpersonal (workplace) dispute, it is designed to provide participants with a practical overview of understanding and dealing with conflict by applying some of the principles of mediation, and provides a link to a video of a workplace mediation conducted by an ACAS mediator
• On line Listening Skills Assessment of personal listening profiles.

The tutor led training is conducted over 7 days of intensive practice, knowledge and case studies over four modules, followed by a video-taped skills assessment on day eight with a written assignment. The training adheres to the certification requirements for MII Mediators (a national and internationally recognised qualification). The training will focus on developing the skills to provide facilitative mediation, the most widely used mediation approach, but will also introduce the participants to other forms of mediation and how to blend the approaches as appropriate to the dispute and the parties.

Module 1 (Day 1 and 2)

The Mediation Process : (7 hours)
Introductions and Expectations including ground rules and learning contract Review of e-learning including Understanding Conflict, Conflict Theory, and Conflict Mapping, Thomas Kilman Conflict Modes Self-Assessment, listening skills, and models for identifying and mapping conflict.

Introduction to The Mediation Process;

• What is Mediation, and what it’s not
• The Role of the Mediator- what you know does not matter, what you do does!
• The Mediators Tool Kit – Skills the Mediator deploys at various stages of the process.
• Short video of a conflict and exercise in preparation for Mediation.
• Pre mediation documents- information for the parties, agreement to mediate (1 hour). Documents and agreements to mediate for Medical negligence claims.
• Mediation – The Preparation Stage (2 hours)
• Pre-Mediation activities including documentation and Agreement to Mediate
• Addressing resistance to the process
• The Opening Session – “storytelling” phase and listening skills
• Different Areas for Mediation with a focus on application of mediation in medical negligence (1 hour)
• Managing the Mediation Session (4 hours)
• Overview of the stages
• Focus on opening sessions
• Storytelling
• Skills in paraphrasing, reframing, summarising, partialising, and feedback
• Exploring the issues including questioning/probing skills
• Understanding Personal Prejudices and how they might affect the mediation process
• Case study’s and role play

 Module 2 (Day 3 and 4)

Managing the Mediation Session (3 hours)

• Listening skills assessment feedback
• Managing the parties, emotions, and challenging behaviours
• Recapping, mutualising and normalising
• Problem Identification and Options
• Negotiation Skills and Interest Based Bargaining – (1 hour)

Helping the parties to compromise and understanding win-win negotiations or when “winning” is not enough!

• Legal framework for the Mediation process, (1 hour)
• Confidentiality and legal implications for mediation including Child Protection/Abuse in Care; capacity to mediate.
• Tips for dealing with difficult/challenging behaviours (1 hour)
• Transactional Analysis, the JOHARI Window, and the Dimensional® Model of Behaviour
• Video- Mediation in action (1 hour) Videos will be available on line for participants to review out of tutor led time
• Use of Questioning (1 hour)

Understanding the power of questions, and how to design and use effective questioning skills as a mediator.

Module 3 (Day 5 and 6)

• Managing the Mediation Session (2 hours)
• Developing possible solutions with the parties
• Brainstorming, Hypothesising – shared and unshared
• Reality Testing
• Caucusing
• Solution Phase
• Making the Agreement

Different mediation Styles and Intercultural Mediation(1 hour) Review of the different Mediation Styles and Intercultural Mediation

• Ethics of Mediation ( 1 hour) Understanding and adhering to the MII and international standards and ethics of mediation
• Avoiding Prejudice and Bias (1 hour)
• Understanding the Dynamics-frames of reference (2 hours)
• Transactional Analysis
• Johari Window
• Power of Mindsets and cognitive dissonance, dealing with the two truths
• Agreements (1 hour)
• Written Agreements,
• Memos of Understanding and
• Closure

Mediation Role plays and Fisbhbowl– see below

Module 4

• Recapping the Mediation process ( 2hours)
• Individual and collective feedback
• Drafting Agreements (1 hour)
• Assessment preparation (1 hour)
• Home reading- Mediation Styles, and e-learning resource (min 20 hours)

Mediation Role plays – see below

Assessment Day

Role Plays and Case Studies

(30 hours) to ensure each participant has been exercised in:

• introducing the process
• gaining experience in managing resistance to the process
• managing the opening sessions
• working with the story telling phase
• Identification of issues and possible solutions
• Fish bowl exercise (real time 5 hour mediation session co-mediated by the participants)
• managing the exchange and relationships,
• reframing and developing skills to surface the issues and deal with emotions,
• problem solving,
• Negotiating for Agreement, and addressing agreement concerns
• drafting agreements/heads of agreement/Memos of Understanding

• Assessments – videotaped real life case assessments following the MII Assessment criteria. ACRUX will apply the MII assessment standards and marking sheets, and will have at least one external assessor attend the assessment day to randomly select and assess candidates.
• All assessments will be recorded on DVD and reviewed by programme director before assessment sign off ensuring each candidate is subject to two assessors reviewing their role play.
• Candidates will be required to complete a self-reflective written assignment on completion of assessment role play and before certification. Written assignments must be submitted within 3 weeks of assessment role play.

The programme is highly interactive to ensure the transfer of the skills occurs and that the participants are provided with the opportunity to develop and practice their mediation skills in a safe environment. Our activities include:

• Approximately 30 plus hours in skills practice
• Discussion groups
• Exercises in small groups and plenary sessions
• Real time feedback
• Interactive CD and e-learning for use and reference throughout the programme
• Role plays and Case Studies based on real situations
• Focused Case studies
• Videos of mediation in practice
• Pre-course e-learning

We apply a flexible approach to the training by delivering the programme in either one, two or three day blocks depending on participant needs.

All the role plays and case studies will be based on actual cases. Participants will be provided with an interactive DVD on mediation skills which contains a further 20 hours of learning which should be completed during the course. Each module is facilitated by an experienced Mediator(s) of at least MII Practitioner Membership Level, and holding trainer certificates.

Our programme is highly interactive where knowledge and theory is integrated through action learning sets and open discussion. Role playing and real time feedback is provided during each module to ensure we apply an approach of accelerated learning in a safe environment. ACRUX provides on-going support to participants on completion of training. Telephone support to all mediators is free of charge.

Materials provided include the following: Pre course e-learning including self-assessment of conflict management skills and personal listening skills profile (on line assessment).

• Comprehensive hand-outs for each module
• One to one feedback from our tutors
• Mediations Skills assessment and individual feedback reports
• MII Recognised Certification following successful assessment.

Organisation: Acrux Consulting Ltd.
Duration: 84 hours (54 in class, 20 elearning, 4 hours pre-course and 6 hours post training
MII Approved: Yes