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TOT 144 –WEEK 144
“Strengthening techniques”.
In advanced training trainers’ responsibilities are different. They have to constantly work on strengthening the skills of the trainees , the concepts they already know and contribute value additions to their knowledge base.
Designing the curriculum and the working time table for advanced courses is a challenge.
The techniques, skills and the related concepts required for different types of mediations will be altogether different . Trainer has to meticulously work on the choice of domain. If all the trainees are undergoing advanced training in one particular field it will be considerably easier. For example if the objective of the training is to give advanced training in family mediations then the designing has to be different from the designing which is required to be followed in commercial mediations or mediations related to consumer disputes only.
If it is a mixed group of trainees, then the designing should be worked in such a way that all the trainees from different groups get equally benefited.
In such circumstances two aspects are required to be kept in mind:- (i) Choosing topics – techniques -skills that are common to any type of mediations can be taken for consideration.
ii) Dividing the topics based on domain knowledge
The curriculum is specifically designed in such a way that the topics, sub topics, techniques and skills chosen for deliberation while dealing with mediations related to a given domain are different from the ones chosen for mediations related to another domain.
Example: Family Mediations –
Topic : Advanced training related to Role of third parties
- Identification: Who are the third parties required to be involved and
Who are to be avoided – possible obstacles – how to overcome .
- Private sessions
How to make use of private sessions to understand more about the third parties (a) who can be helpful in the resolution of the dispute
(b) How to get them to the mediation room/ .
(c) Who may cause obstruction to the resolution of disputes.
( d) Setting the agenda
(e) Setting the atmosphere
( f) Developing strategy for resolution of disputes taking the assistance of third parties
(g) Avoiding areas of conflict between the parties and third parties from their own side and between the parties and third parties from their opponent’s side…etc
3) Joint sessions
Deliberation: Whether to have joint session between third parties from both sides – Consequences
Identification of Objective of such joint session.
What if the objective is not achieved.
Foreseeing impasse .
Strategy to avoid possible impasse situations..etc
For each of the above identified areas – specific techniques and skills have to be introduced by the trainer.
There has to be a short simulation exercise on each of the identified sub topics . The specific skills and techniques are to be introduced to the participants and they have to be applied in the simulation exercise . The concept underlying use of each technique or skill has to be explained in not more than two lines.
Advantages:- (i)Trainees understand what is required to be done, why , when and how . (ii) Trainees understand where a given technique should not be used and why. (iii) Learning becomes systematic and positive reinforcement gets reflected.
“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.”
Robert Greene-American Author
(All copyrights reserved by the author S.Susheela)
Training of Trainers in Mediation 