“The first part of the workshop on mediator accreditation at 7th National Mediation Conference, Darwin 2 July 2004 involved a facilitated discussion on the question of

‘who says you’re a mediator?’ Matters to arise out of the discussion included:

· There are many accrediting authorities and panels;

· The parties say who is a mediator, as the mediator keeps getting work;

· A training course does not make a person a mediator;

· It is hard to say at what point one ‘becomes a mediator’, but it is possibly after

· hundreds of hours of experience;

· Sometimes practitioners feel like ‘mediators’, other times not; and yet people

continue to see themselves as lawyers, psychologists, etc;

· A good mediator may well be ‘invisible’ as the parties own the outcome.

What are you doing when you mediate?

Client outcomes

· Assist clients achieve their stated aims;

· Assist people to work together with respect;

· In practice, try and help people find their own answers and keep them out of court,

if possible;

· Help people communicate better;

· Make a happy and healthy person;

· Help people talk and, more importantly, listen

· Assisting couples to [reach] agreement around family issues;

· Clients achieve outcomes they can live with and feel they own and can implement.

Orientation to the parties

· Support;

· Stay non-judgemental;

· Be humble and keep a sense of humour;

· Meet the clients where they are at;

· Be reflective and responsive to clients’ needs;

· Be respectful;

· Help people;

· Remain impartial;

· We hang in there;

· Enjoy talking to people, enjoyment of rich tapestry.

How do you know you have done it well?

Feedback from clients – informal/immediate

· Direct and indirect client feedback at stages of the mediation;

· When the clients tell me I’ve done it well;

· [or say] ‘it was so calming’;

· Strong, positive client feedback;

· Post-mediation party said, ‘Boy, you’re good’;

· A kiss on the cheek;

· A bag of avocados;

· Thank you from client.

Feedback from clients– formal/follow up

· Client satisfaction;

· Parties feel positive, three months on;

· Feedback evaluation sheets;

· Client feedback forms;

· Testimonials;

· Client surveys (including online);

· Ask/elicit clients for feedback [and] use feedback received for training and

· improving processes;

Abstracts from “Who says you’re a mediator? Report on NADRAC workshop on mediator accreditation at 7th National Mediation Conference, Darwin 2 July 2004”