Class: Mediation Skills

Katie D.

January 13, 2011 - 8:06 PM

The Director of the Master's in Conflict Resolution program, Tim Hicks, teaches our Mediation Skills class. Tim Hicks was a mediator for years before coming to work at the University of Oregon, and brings a breadth of experience that includes working as a mediator in through multiple systems and in many situations. When taking a class in something as skills-based as mediation, it is incredibly important to have the perspectives and insights that arrive with long experience in the field.

One of the first experiences I had with the CRES program was the Basic Mediation Training we completed in early fall. Since then, I have been applying the skills and the mindset of mediation in my studies, and as a way of understanding many of the ideas of the Appropriate Dispute Resolution field. With this class, we are going deeper into the techniques and theories of mediation.

For those of you not acquainted with the idea of mediation, let me do a quick summary. Mediation is an alternative to the court system of dispute settlement, and is a dialogue-based mechanism for solving interpersonal conflict. One common use for mediation is as an alternative to small claims court, in which the two parties would argue their case before a judge, who would hand down the decision. In mediation, the same two people would have a conversation about the dispute, with the mediator helping to move the dialogue in a productive and respectful way, and enable the individuals to come up with a resolution for themselves. If an agreement is reached, a contract is signed and it is up to the parties to fulfill their agreements.

Mediation is commonly used not only in small claims court, but also in family and divorce cases, in business settings, workplace disputes, and in cases of juvenile offenses. Mediation allows for the whole story to be heard by both sides, and for a creative solution to be found. When two people have an ongoing relationship (such as in workplace disputes or in child custody cases) the hope is that mediation will foster future teamwork and a positive relationship with each other.

Our mediation class is focused on giving us a broader set of tools to engage in mediation, as well as a more thorough understanding of the benefits of mediation, and its limitations.

The syllabus reads:
The Mediation Skills course is focused on the "practice" of mediation. An extension of the Basic Mediation training, students gain further proficiency in using the skills and tools fundamental to being effective in resolving conflict as a mediator. The course is designed to be highly interactive with extensive opportunity to apply theoretical learning in role-plays, video analysis, and small and large group exercises. Students taking the course will gain greater clarity and confidence in resolving conflict that will be valuable whether planning to continue as a mediator, a lawyer, a manager, or a citizen. The 32-hour Basic Mediation Training is a pre-requisite for this course.

Our coursework and classes have already included a range of learning tools, focusing heavily on watching recorded mediations or mock mediations, as well as exploring other theoretical bases for mediation work. Soon we will begin with mediation role plays, and other hands-on techniques for the practical applications of mediation.

I do not plan to be a mediator for a long-term career. While I can imagine working as a mediator for a certain amount of time, I think I want to play different role in conflict resolution. However, these skills in enabling dialogue and the prioritizing of the needs and creativity of conflicting parties will be useful regardless of my future job descriptions. The mindset of a mediator is one of enabling those around them to create their own solutions, and to provide an active and empathetic listener for those who need it. I am excited for this course, and for the opportunity to take these skills into the world and the rest of my life.