Perhaps you’re an attorney. Perhaps you’re a therapist. Perhaps you’re the middle child. Whatever it is that draws you to resolve conflict, you’ve hit on the idea of making an impact through mediation, and you want in. If so, The Center for Conflict Resolution’s 40-hour mediation skills training may be for you!
What will I learn in a 40-hour mediation skills training?
CCR’s 40-hour mediation skills training course is designed to provide you with a foundational understanding of the facilitative mediation process while simultaneously helping you to develop critical dispute resolution skills. These skills include creative problem solving; interest-based negotiation; managing emotionally charged situations; reality testing; active listening; effective questioning; and mediating multi-party disputes. Each of these skills are useful on their own in a variety of personal and professional conflicts – even when you aren’t formally serving as a mediator.
How does the 40-hour mediation skills training course work?
The heart of the CCR learning experience is simulated mediation and individualized coaching. As a trainee, you will spend the bulk of your course time in simulated role-play mediations, honing skills in a practical setting under the guidance of an experienced mediator-trainer. These coaches, present for the entirety of each mediation simulation, provide the concrete and customized feedback necessary to put mediation theory into practice. They identify specific areas of potential development and help steer you toward your highest potential. Simulations are enhanced by a series of lectures, discussions and demonstrations on various topics, from agreement writing to ethics and other alternative dispute resolution models.
What can I do with my mediation skills?
Mediate, of course! But the skills learned in CCR’s 40-hour course are useful outside of formal mediation as well. Whatever your profession, if you are involved in managing people or working with people in conflict in any capacity, dispute resolution skills are valuable skills to develop. CCR’s training can go a long way toward improving your ability to handle any conflict situation.
In addition, CCR’s 40-hour mediation skills training course has been approved by the Presiding Judges of the Law, Chancery and Domestic Relations Divisions of the Circuit Court of Cook County as satisfying one of their requirements to become a certified mediator in Cook County. All trainees who complete CCR’s 40-hour mediation skills training course will receive a certificate validating their status. While there is currently no uniform national standard for certification, CCR’s 40-hour course meets many other local training requirements. Check out point 20.08 of Local Rule 20 enacted pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 99 for more information on Cook County’s mediation certification requirements. CCR's 40-hour course is also approved for Social Work CEUs, MCLE credits, and SHRM PDCs.
Where can I get more information?
To get up-to-date information on CCR’s 40-hour program, including pricing and dates for the next scheduled session, visit the training page on CCR’s website. In addition, this article has been adapted from CCR’s 40-hour mediation skills training FAQ, also located on CCR’s website.