Volunteer Mediator Program

Volunteer Mediator Training Program Description

The Mediation Center of Dutchess County trains mediators in the transformative framework of conflict intervention, first articulated in the book“The Promise of Mediation” by Robert Baruch Bush and Joseph P. Folger. Within this framework, conflict is viewed as a crisis in human interaction. Mediators help parties to change the nature of their interaction so that they can make decisions and see the other’s perspective.

The Mediation Center’s Volunteer Training Program consists of four required components: an orientation session, training, apprenticeship, and continuing education.

Attend an orientation session. At the orientation session, staff will discuss the Mediation Center’s philosophy of conflict intervention, programs and services offered, relationships with courts and the community, and the commitment required of volunteers.

Complete the 35-hour Basic Mediation Training. Training includes principles of transformative conflict theory, the mediator’s role as an intervener in conflict, supportive responsiveness, role-playing, intake (pre-mediation), and agreement writing. Upon successful completion of training, you will receive a certificate stating you are qualified to enter the Mediation Center’s apprenticeship program. During this training, interested volunteers will complete an application form and, if accepted, will be asked to sign up for one of the mentored apprenticeship groups offered at various scheduled times. The Mediation Center will notify you if you have been selected to participate in the apprenticeship and volunteer program.

Work with a mentor and a mentored apprenticeship group. In addition to meeting with a mentored apprenticeship group, apprentices must observe at least one mediation and co-mediate up to 10 mediations with mentor supervision. Integrated into the apprenticeship period are video assessments. Toward the beginning of the apprenticeship, apprentices will be filmed mediating a role play, and will then observe and assess their own practice from the video. Afterwards, they will watch and review their video with their mentor. Apprentices do a video role play again at the end of their apprenticeship. Certification is based on continuing progress and evaluation of the second video role play.

Upon completion of the video evaluation and written observation, the mentor will make one of the following recommendations:

The apprentice is recommended for certification,

The apprentice is recommended for certification and to co-mediate with an experienced transformative mediator and attend at least one practice group,

The apprentice is recommended for re-evaluation after two additional co-mediations, and to attend at least one practice group,

The apprentice is not recommended for certification.

Upon successful observation, evaluation, completion of the apprenticeship program, and mentor recommendation, the Mediation Center of Dutchess County will certify you as a mediator.

To maintain your certification. To remain active and certified, volunteers must complete six hours per year of continuing education, mediate a minimum of three cases per year, participate in outreach, and continue to provide best practices in transformative mediation. A volunteer’s year begins after completion of the apprenticeship.

For the first two years after completing the apprenticeship, new mediators maintaining active status are eligible for $100 credit, or 20% of their training fee for financial aid recipients, per year. The year is defined as beginning upon certification.

How much of a time commitment is the apprenticeship/volunteer program?

The volunteer mediator training program works out to be a minimum commitment of five to 10 hours a month plus travel. Commitments are time specific as there are set group meetings and small claims court sessions which apprentices are required to attend. As part of the apprenticeship program, participants mediate sessions at small claims courts throughout Dutchess County and at the Mediation Center. There are opportunities to attend mediation sessions both at night and during the day but a commitment must be made to a set schedule. We have found in years past that the biggest hurdle to completing the apprenticeship is participants’ schedules. We ask that people who would like to participate in the apprenticeship evaluate how much time they realistically have, their flexibility, and whether they would be able to travel to different courts throughout Dutchess County to attend the required number of mediations. Once volunteers are certified by the Mediation Center, we require that they mediate at least three times a year, attend six hours of continuing education, participate in outreach, and continue to provide best practices in transformative mediation to maintain their certification.

*Currently mediators can be certified by the Centers for whom they mediate, not by New York State. Centers are responsible for maintaining quality assurance through apprenticeship, continuing education and observation.