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So You Think You Want to Be a Mediator…
Over the last 25-plus years the field of mediation has grown far beyond its historical
association with labor negotiations. Today mediators can be found dealing with conflict
in a vast range of situations — from family to business issues, from school to government
settings, from youth peer mediators to elders and their families trying to make care
decisions.
While this field continues to expand, the opportunities for making it a career choice
need to be carefully considered. Many times people contact us at the Pennsylvania
Council of Mediators, asking about how to get the requisite training to be certified
as a mediator and get listed on a roster or panel so they can start doing mediations.
The answer to this question needs to start with an explanation of the current state
of the field — at least as far as it exists in Pennsylvania.
Training
Anyone who wants to become a mediator needs good training. Most people start with
taking a basic mediation training. This can vary between 20 and 40 hours in duration.
The topics generally covered may include information gathering and conflict assessment,
relationship and interaction skills, communication skills, problem solving, decision
making, agreement formalization, ethics and professional information. In addition
to presenting conflict theory and information, a good training should include multiple
opportunities to practice skills in role plays and other exercises.
Training is often offered by non-profit, community mediation centers; and you may
also find training presented by experienced mediators who are brought into the area
by a sponsoring organization.
Basic mediation is just that — basic. If you plan to act as a mediator in some specialized
area, such as divorce and custody, elder issues, environmental, etc., you may need
to take advanced training. Training in specialized areas is also offered by both
community mediation centers, as well as professional groups.
A good mediator combines a balance of skills in the techniques and a manner that
conveys neutrality and builds trust with clients. While training gives a good start
to learning how to be a mediator, experience is what helps a mediator develop skills
and establish comfort with his/her approach to dealing with conflict. People often
expect to start getting this experience by observing a mediation or acting as a “junior”
or co-mediator with an experienced mediator. As desirable as this is, it is often
difficult to find these opportunities. The requirement for complete confidentiality
in mediation may be a barrier to others’ observing; however, if the parties agree,
observers may be present as long as the observers agree to the same confidentiality
requirements as the mediator. There are limited settings where one can serve as a
co-mediator. Community mediation centers usually require mediators in training to
get experience by observing or participating as a co-mediator in several mediations.
The reality is that these centers often have more volunteer mediators than they have
cases calling for mediators. Individual practitioners have very limited situations
where trainees can observe or participate in a mediation.
Certification
There is currently no national or statewide organization that certifies or licenses
mediators in Pennsylvania. Many times a mediator may state that s/he is a “certified
mediator.” That usually means that whatever person or organization trained them provided
them with some certification of having completed their training.
There are a number of local court systems in Pennsylvania that offer mediation as
an option to litigation in a variety of situations: custody and divorce, small claims,
civil suits, etc. These individual courts have established their own criteria for
listing a mediator as a member of their roster. If you plan to try to mediate in
such court settings, it is best to contact that court to determine their requirements.
Working as a Mediator
If the point of getting trained is to make a living as a mediator, you need to understand
the state of the field as far as employment opportunities are concerned. For all
the explosion of interest in using mediation in a vast array of settings, there are
few people who are able to make a living acting solely as a mediator.
People who take mediation training tend to have one of three primary goals in mind:
become a volunteer (as in “unpaid”) at a community mediation center, enhance their
skills in their current workplace setting (such as someone work in an HR department
at a large company), or offer mediation services as an adjunct to their primary professional
work (lawyers, real estate professionals, social workers, etc.).
Many people who have built a sustainable business offering mediation have started
with long experience and a broad network of contacts in a professional field. When
they have the necessary training and understanding of what mediation can offer to
people involved in conflict, they already have the contacts and entrée in a
field that facilitates their finding clients who can benefit from these mediation
services.
So What’s the Best Way to Explore Mediation?
- Join a national or local mediation organization and attend their meetings. Talk
with mediators to find out what they do and how they got to where they are in the
field.
- Contact a few mediators who practice in the specialty area that interests you
and arrange an informational interview.
- Take a basic mediation training and make sure the skills required match your
natural abilities/interests.
Want More Information?
Contact Phoebe Sheftel at 610-526-1802 or pasheftel@comcast.net.
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