TOT 90: Training in facilitating

Mediation is a facilitative process. Mediator plays the role of facilitator. Mediator facilitates the parties to arrive at a solution at different levels. One of the important aspects of training in mediation is to equip the trainees to know the art of facilitation. Sufficient inputs have to be given to the participants so that they can inculcate facilitation as an inseparable skill.

How to achieve this?

Trainer chooses a topic for facilitation. Topic chosen should have scope for discussion. It should necessarily have two or more views or perspectives. Trainer should throw it open for discussion. Trainer’s role is only to control the process, streamline the discussions, direct and redirect, filter, defer and thus facilitate the entire process. At the end the trainer gives a summation. Trainer draws the essence of one stand point and presents it to bring clarity. Then the Trainer draws the essence of another standpoint and presents it to bring clarity. Like this, different viewpoints are summed up by the trainer. Objective of the facilitation process is only to make persons with different perspectives/viewpoints/understandings express the same for consideration in a neutral atmosphere, in the presence of a neutral person.

Once summation is done, the Trainer will ask, “Whether Mr.X having opinion ‘A’ would like to switch over to Opinion ‘B’ expressed by Mr.Y? 

Trainer permits them to exercise their autonomy to agree or disagree.

How does this help in actual mediation?

Even in actual mediation, the mediator collects view points on a disputed issue from each of the parties, and other participants. Places the same for consideration of all of them with an open mind. View points of one may be accepted by the other after the same is supported by acceptable reasoning. A person who was strongly opposing a particular viewpoint, may change his/her opinion. 

In actual mediation Mediator can do this facilitation process in private session, amongst a group of one set of parties, where the mediator feels that there are divergent viewpoints between/amongst them.

Mediators can also do this in a joint session, requesting parties and participants from both sides to participate in such a facilitation process. 

GROUND RULES TO BE LAID BY THE MEDIATOR BEFORE COMMENCING FACILITATION

1. Give your view point – at the first instance.
2. Give your strong reasons (not more than 3) in support of your view point.
3. Listen to the other side.

After the mediator sums up:

1. Contemplate.
2. Agree or disagree gracefully.

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