Mediation skills seminar for school heads

"We don't see things as they are: we see things as we are. Mediation is a process for resolving disputes in which another person helps the parties see things as they are in order to negotiate a settlement. Parties come to mediation with their own perspectives, their own beliefs and their world view. In one sense, mediation is not a big deal, yet a two-hour mediation session can create a turning point in conflicts that have sometimes festered for years. Success lies partly in the mediators' skills but also with the readiness of the parties."

Former trail attorney Cynthia J. Hallberlin spent many years litigating before the courts on behalf of the US Federal Government. But one case, a discrimination action taken against the US Federal State Education Department by a Latino man, changed Hallberlin's view of her previous court successes. She proved that the failure to hire this Latino man was a bureaucratic error rather than racial discrimination and the Education Department emerged triumphant. That night the claimant rang her and said that if this had been explained to him properly at the outset he never would have taken the case.

Says Hallberlin: "I found this admission remarkable and began to question the purpose of my litigation strategy. These cases led me to consider that the real 'winners' in litigation are the lawyers and the real 'losers' are both parties."

Hallberlain went on to establish the REDRESS system, a mediation process which allowed for the resolution of disputes without recourse to the courts.

Mediation is expanding dramaticially across the world. From a little known concept, mediation processes are now part of the culture of the USA, Canada, Europe and Australia and are growing in South America and China, spreading into communities, corporations, criminal justice systems, education and government agencies.

Mediation has became a profession with university degrees and professional societies. Mediation studies bring together the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes for the demanding work of facilitating the resolution of emotion and interest-based conflict.

Various institutions across Europe and the US offer mediation and conflict management education. Lawyers, social workers, educators, administrators and a host of other professionals fully understand the importance and benefits of effective non-confrontational, non-litigious conflict resolution.

In Malta various initiatives are being promoted to ensure that Mediation and Conflict Resolution Education (CRE) reaches as wide a context as possible in order to provide opportunities for early dispute intervention and resolution outside the courtroom.

The Ministry of Education and the Education Division, in collaboration with the University of Malta and University College Dublin, have organised a half-day introductory mediation skills seminar for heads of schools and managers of education next Wednesday, July 3, at Gateway Building, Hall A, University of Malta.

The seminar will be inaugurated by Education Minister Louis Galea and led by Professor Delma Sweeney from University College Dublin.

Delma Sweeney is deputy chair and practitioner member of the Mediators Irish Institute (MII) and Director of Conflict Resolution Mediation Consultants (CRMC) Dublin.

If students are taught mediation skills but educationalists model a very different form of conflict resolution, students get a weakened message and the school atmosphere cannot be truly transformed.

The seminar is designed as an interactive and integrated learning experience, bringing together the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes for the demanding work of facilitating the resolution of emotion and interest-based conflict.

Further details may be obtained from Dr Christopher Bezzina, Office of Professional Practice, Faculty of Education, Room 222, Tel. No. 32902939, 21338122. E-mail: christopher.bezzina@um.edu.mt.

Ms Spiteri Gonzi is an accredited mediator (Maryland Circuit Court, USA).