We run recognized training programs which, on completion, grant the status of a mediator. The training is specifically designed for dealing with community disputes.
CALM currently provides training to prospective volunteers, private individuals and organizations. Our training can be tailor-made to suit the needs of the organisation. We specifically focus on how to address conflict and diversity issues. During the training there are opportunities for students to practice their skills through role plays and case studies.
Students who decide to volunteer at CALM would be required to commit to at least 12 months of volunteering service. Typically the volunteer would be dealing with about 12 cases within that period of time. Any one case would generally involve two, 2-hour meetings, excluding travel time. CALM reimburses volunteer travel expenses up to a maximum of £6 per session. There is a 6-month probationary period.
CALM provides ongoing support and assessment. All volunteers are required to attend a minimum of 4 volunteer development evenings and there will be one individual session and one group session per year. Once training is complete, each volunteer is allocated a supervisor.
- find out more here
We have ongoing development evenings that take place in our office premises. These evenings assist the volunteer in learning and identifying further requirements.
Evening Schedule 2009
January 21 Wednesday - Corinne & Heather
H&S guidance at mediation visits
What is Confidentiality & Voluntary?
Open Forum: Group Supervision
March 17 Tuesday - Fiona
NVC workshop followed by role-plays
April 4 Saturday - Nicole
Agreements Workshop
May 20 Wednesday - Elena
ACAS presentation
June 13 Saturday - Fiona
Refresher/Cross over workshop
July 9 Thursday - Corinne Chair
Debate: Mandatory vs. Voluntary
September 11 Friday
AGM & Social
October 14 Wednesday (afternoon) - Heather
Discussion - Assumption & Resentments
November 24 Tuesday - Pete
Open Forum: Improving & Developing skills
December 18 Friday
Winter Social
Development Evening Topic Descriptions
17th March 2009
Improving Mediation skills - what can we learn from Marshall Rosenberg?
Nonviolent communication (NVC) model was developed by a renowned and well respected Mediator, Marshall Rosenberg, who has used NVC in many difficult settings, such as with prisoners and people at war. Come along to get a taster of how we can improve our communication skills by using his key concepts.
4th April 2009
The mediation agreement is a product of the interaction of two parties willingly coming together to resolve their dispute under the guidance of a skilled mediator. A mediation agreement must stem from the mediation process itself. The mediation agreement should reflect the process that the parties themselves entered into. The parties come to understand and then accept their own needs, to protect their common interests, and to rebuild communication, recognising that this is the key to effective and successful agreements in the long term.
The written agreement acts as a point of reference for parties to reflect on and to adapt their behaviour and neighbour relationship according to what was agreed. CALM are offering a workshop for mediators on how to identify the critical information, how to classify it and identify pivotal points.
Wednesday May 20th - ACAS presentation
Dave Cook, Senior Adviser at ACAS, has worked there for over 20 years, doing a variety of jobs. Most recently, as an individual conciliator, he has dealt with employment tribunal cases. In his current job he works on collective disputes and delivers training including courses on workplace mediation, bullying & harassment, stress, and managing absence.
Workplace Mediation:
Dave will be considering the five steps of Workplace Mediation, focussing on how the workplace environment can affect conflict resolution in comparison to the factors that affect neighbourhood mediation.
The Gibbons Report:
The Gibbons Report is coming into effect on 1st April 2009. Dave will speak about one of the recommendations made regarding the effect it will have in changing the legislation on handling disciplinary and grievance issues
13 June 2009
Commercial to Community Mediation Workshop + Mediator Skills Refresher Training
This workshop is for those people who have joined CALM after completing another training providers course e.g. Regents College. The course will give an overview of how we run community mediations: working with co-mediators, CALM policies and will include role plays. It will also be a useful refresher for those people who are feeling rusty or may not have mediated for some time.
Wednesday 14th October -Assumptions & Resentment
We all make assumptions every day - at first glance we make judgements based on a variety of factors including people's behaviour, their appearance and the job they do. However, as mediators, it is important for us to keep an open mind and avoid letting our assumptions affect our practice.
Heather will talk about the theory behind why we make assumptions and how we can use this knowledge to help us with our own mediation practice. There will be discussion based around our own experiences of assumptions in mediation meetings, allowing us to generate ideas of how we can assist clients in getting an insight themselves into any assumptions they are making.
Why do we have a successful mediation meeting with an agreement at the end, and yet the parties still aren't happy? Again, Heather will outline what causes resentment and discuss ways to assist parties with their feelings.
| CALM Training Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Location | Duration |
| Spring 2009 | To be confirmed | 6 days |
| Autumn 2009 | To be confirmed | 6 days |
The cost of the standard training course is £60 per individual.
CALM carries out preventative work in the community to empower residents to resolve their own disputes and to divert people away from statutory services.
CALM run workshops for residents or organisations:
By running these sessions we hope to increase referrals to the project and disseminate information to improve relations in the community at large. We also share good practice and disseminate information with other mediation services.
CALM have run the workshops on the following:
Workshops have taken place at Housing offices, Youth clubs, London Mediators Day, Mediation UK conferences
CALM have a Restorative Justice Project that aims to repair the harm caused through crime, as part of our out reach work in the community, we have planned a programme of crime prevention sessions named ‘The Real Deal’.
‘The Real Deal’ has been set up in conjunction with the police for local schools to increase young people’s awareness of the negatives of crime.
The sessions are to inform 13-16 year olds about how crime affects all aspects of offenders’ and their families’ lives. The sessions are delivered by a prisoner with direct experience of the criminal justice system.
CALM take part in a variety of community events to increase awareness and encourage people to access the service. We provide promotional literature, run competitions and workshops for local residents to let them know what we offer and how we can help. Below are some of the events CALM have participated in:
Housing Association outreach events
Peace Week
Noise Day
Time of Your Life
Open Days for charities or community groups
Police promotion events
An application form is available to download here.