The Gauteng High Court Directive has resulted in a dramatic increase for the need for accredited and skilled mediators. This course will refresh your skills if you have not used them for some time and put you in the position to mediate again. It will also highlight process skills that have been included in the training over the past few years.

The Mediator Skills Refresher session will remind you of key aspects of the mediation process and essential skills for managing an effective mediation. It will also include new process steps and skills that have been added to the training over the past few years that you would not have been exposed to if you were trained some time ago.

The session is suited for accredited mediators.

1. Mediator competencies
2. Preparation Phase
   1. Phases in the mediation process
   2. Typical pattern of mediation meetings
   3. Comprehensive mediation process
   4. Purpose and key objectives
   5. Preparation meetings and working with lawyers
3. Opening phase
   1. Purpose and key objectives
   2. First impressions and establishing rapport
   3. Role-play practice
4. Exploration phase and option generation 
   1. Purpose and key objectives
   2. What is the mediator exploring?
   3. How is the mediator exploring?
   4. The use of joint and side meetings
   5. Working with confidentiality and beginning to convey information
   6. Role-play practice
5. Choosing options and bargaining
   1. Purpose and key objectives
   2. Moving from exploring to bargaining?
   3. The bargaining range, the power of offers and conventions in bargaining
   4. Dealing with deadlock and reality testing
   5. Role-play practice
6. Concluding
7. Mediator ethics