Services we offer

Services we offer

Mediation
Restorative practices
Peer mediation for schools
Training and workshops
Facilitation
Emotional support for front line staff
Organisational communications audits
Independent investigations
Dealing with workplace stress
Conflict Coaching
Awaydays and Creative Hot Housing
Executive Retreats

Mediation

When a conflict becomes difficult to resolve or is in danger of escalating,
an independent mediator can help the parties to find resolution using a
tried and tested process.

Meeting with each party independently pre-mediation.
(Re-)Establishing a meaningful connection between the parties
Identifying the underlying interests, motivations and needs of each party
Allowing each party to hear and be heard by the other
Building back trust and commitment
Removing judgement and punishment or imposed solutions
Transforming both parties to want to contribute positively
Developing agreed solutions
Written agreements

Mediations can be between two conflicting parties or between all
the affected parties.

Mediation Practice Areas

Workplace mediation
Neighbour/communities mediation
Victim-Offender mediation
Peer (school-based) mediation
Special or Additional Needs mediation
Family Mediation
Young people and family/carer (homelessness) mediation
Civil dispute (commercial) mediation
Environmental mediation
Health complaints mediation
Mediator Support and Supervision

Restorative practices - Justice from the Heart

Justice from the Heart is a restorative approach which offers ways to establish meaningful dialogue and achieve constructive outcomes. It addresses how to repair
harm and reduce suffering for those affected by conflict.

The foundation of the approach is that those who cause harm are expected to take responsibility for their actions, and take an active role in resolving the problem. At the same time, those who are harmed are able to be heard and understood, and be involved in the reparation process. From this foundation, different strategies can be used depending on the type and severity of the incident. These might include enquiries, mediation and restorative circle dialogues. All of these result in agreements and/or action plans which are recorded and measurable.

Justice Principles

Retributive Justice

Current justice system
Courts and Prisons

What rule has been broken?

Who is guilty of breaking the rule?

What is the punishment?

Underlying Values

Vengeance / revenge
“An eye for an eye,
a tooth for a tooth.”

People do things that hurt others because they are bad.

Corrective method

Punishment (along with rewards).
Extrinsic motivation – doing something because other people want them to.

Punitive Use of Force

Designed to make someone suffer enough to see the error of their ways

Generates resentment
and hostility.

If people do what you want
them to do, they do so out of
fear (extrinsic reason). Can also teach them that if you are bigger or more powerful than someone else, then you can make them
do things they don’t want to do.

Restorative Justice

Mediation and similar approaches
Used partially in justice system

How have people been affected?

What responsibility is being taken to sort out the consequences?

Have agreed actions been completed that have addressed the consequences of the crime and built a safer community in the aftermath of what's happened?”

Underlying Values

Restoring harmony between people Facilitating mutual empathy and understanding.

People do things that hurt others because they are unaware.

Corrective method

Education Intrinsic motivation – doing something because they
want to.

Protective use of Force

Designed to ensure safety and protection - used in conjunction with education.

Educating the person into an understanding of the feelings and needs of others

Also educating the person into the needs they themselves were trying to meet, and how to find other ways to meet those needs that are more effective and less harmful.

Peer Mediation is a form of conflict resolution carried out within peer groups, usually in schools. Its aim is to teach children and young people how to resolve conflict compassionately and peacefully.

Pupils are trained in communication skills such as listening, respecting other points of view and demonstrating empathy. The trained peer mediators empower disputants to work together to find solutions that are agreeable to all parties.

Why Peer Mediation?

Peer Mediation aims to enhance children’s learning and prepare them for coping with conflict wherever they may encounter it.

Conflict arises for many different reasons, in the playground, at home or in the classroom. When conflict arises it is important that everyone feels they have been treated fairly and that the conflict has been dealt with appropriately. Mediation empowers everyone involved to resolve their differences without the need to fight it out. Mediators guide disputants through their conflict to reach agreements that end
the dispute peacefully.

How does Peer Mediation fit into school life? Peer Mediation is a voluntary process during which trained pairs of pupils act as mediators for their peer group. A rota system is put in place and the mediators can be called on whenever an incident occurs. Peer mediation schemes often operate in school during free time.

What are the benefits?

Peer Mediation can:
Reduce the number of exclusions
Reduce incidents of bullying
Change repetitive patterns of misbehaviour
Resolve minor disputes without adult intervention
Improve behaviour and increase respect
Give power to those who are victimised

Training

Mediation training takes place within school time and works within the curriculum PHSE and in creating an emotionally healthy school under the context of Every Child Matters.

Training is usually carried out over 3 days. There is a noticeable difference in a young person’s ability to handle conflict early on in the training process. Trainees are given tasks to try out and encouraged to practise their mediation skills at school and home.
Learning mentors are encouraged to work closely with the trainers to increase staff awareness and knowledge

Peer Mediation for your school

Would you like to talk to us about what a Peer Mediation Scheme could do for your school?

CPS delivers a transformative model for internal
and external communications

Trainings we offer:

Basic and advanced mediation skills and theory
Conflict resolution
Recognising conflict early on
Intervening in a dispute
Dealing with difficult people
Initiating and supporting difficult conversations
Diversity and equality
Authentic Leadership
Managing and supervising teams
Telephone communications skills
Restorative Justice processes
Peer mediation
Dealing with customer complaints
Positive workplace communications

View our video clips

Facilitation

Facilitation is a skilled process for meetings which is particularly useful when there are different needs and priorities around the table.

A facilitator allows everyone present in a meeting to have their voice, whilst also listening and being mindful of others. When situations require solutions that take account of differing stakeholder needs, facilitation will help you to:

Clarify and meet your objectives
Make decisions from a place of knowledge
Remove judgement, blame and criticism
Define roles and responsibilities
Resolve and prevent conflicts
Foster an atmosphere of positive contribution

Sounding Board can provide a facilitator when an independent and neutral party
is needed or can train individuals to become facilitators.

Supporting frontline staff to be emotionally fit for their work is
becoming a serious Health and Safety issue for employers.

The costs of not doing so can mount up. The direct costs of sickness,
recruitment, bad publicity and legal claims against the employer
are all too obvious.

There are also many indirect costs which are less noticeable but
they can have an enormous impact on an organisation at a much
earlier stage. Tension, anxiety and stress when not properly
processed lead to conflict, demotivation and negative attitudes
that can seriously harm productivity, create unhealthy workplaces
and damage the organisation as a whole.

In a culture where declaring anxiety is frowned upon and seen as
weakness, it becomes even more essential that employers provide
external support that is confidential, neutral, safe and supportive.

Maria Arpa provides a safe space where stress, anxiety and tension
can be transformed into self confidence and self assurance.

Using a model of compassion and empathy clients are encouraged
to learn coping strategies which can help them recognise and
transform stress into positive energy before it becomes damaging.

Sessions can be a mixture of individual sessions for complete
confidentiality and group support to encourage team working
and build organisational trust.

Support packages are tailor made and can be charged per session
or as a package for a group of employees.

The best chance for success comes from creating internal and external climates that encourage goals and enlist the cooperation of employees in problem solving. Successful climates are the result of a planned communication strategy based on periodic audits.

In order to help you create a successful climate we work with your organisation to establish honest answers to these questions from your employees or members:

What do they think about current communications programmes—are they working?
Do they feel that the information communicated to them is timely, accessible,
and credible?
How can these communications be improved?
What other sources do your employees or members use to get their information about the organisation?
How would they prefer to get their information?
Which communication vehicles are considered the most valuable, most timely, most accessible and most credible?
What information do employees or members want more or less of?
How well do your employees or members know and understand your key messages, mission, strategies, and objectives?
How do your employees or members believe they treated by the management?
Do your employees or members feel their contribution is recognised?

As part of handling internal procedures such as allegations, complaints, disciplinary or grievances, Sounding Board provides an independent investigation service which involves:

Creating a safe, confidential environment
Active listening and questioning techniques
Neutrality and impartiality which is free from blame or judgement
Accurate interpretation of differing attitudes, behaviours, feelings, perceptions and facts
Nurturing openness by ensuring that privacy and confidentiality is respected
Keeping expectations real
Writing a thorough and rigorous report
Making recommendations for further action

Workplace investigations can be involved, complex and stressful for all the parties involved. Using an independent resource can remove some of the pressure as well as ensure that neutrality is maintained.

Independent investigations are particularly useful for identifying and clarifying issues around bullying, harrassment and discrimination.

At a time when the UK has the longest working week in Europe, the highest incidence
of adult depression, the highest divorce rate and the most congested roads, actively relieving employee stress is becoming an ethical choice for many businesses.

The HSE is currently raising employers' awareness of the need to tackle work-related stress. They have defined stress as "the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them". Since personal problems can also affect workplace attitudes and relationships, it makes sense for employers to take a
holistic approach to the well-being of their employees.

Allowing employees to experience regular one to one sessions will alleviate stress and fatigue, improve clarity of thinking and problem solving, encourage a calmer and more balanced atmosphere, boost morale, increase loyalty, reduce absenteeism and help physical well-being.

By offering one to one sessions an employer can be visibly seen to be taking an active approach to alleviating stress.

Inside every person is the potential and capacity to resolve issues and make positive choices. Our intention is to unlock that potential and help you see the possibilities. We are more creative than we realise, and in the pressure and tension of daily life it is easy to lose sight of our greatest asset and resource - ourselves.

Conflict Coaching will help you unpick conflict that is present in your life and see how those conflicts affect the choices you make. You will learn how to make decisions from insight.

The sessions are your personal space where you can talk openly about your conflicts. You can express yourself in a completely confidential setting. It's amazing what we store up inside us whether we know it on a conscious level or not. Making links between this and how we react to situations can alleviate personal pressure and improve our ability to find resolution.

Away Days and Creative Hot-housing provide time out from day to day tasks to help teams focus on intention, vision and strategy and change.

As well as brainstorming ideas for implementation, away days improve collaboration, aid positive networking, develop understanding and increase motivation.

Sounding Board can provide a full service including venue booking or will simply turn up and facilitate.

Executive Retreats

Away Days and Creative Hot-housing provide time out from day to day tasks to help teams focus on intention, vision and strategy and change.

Contact us

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www.civilmediation.org
www.cmcregistered.org

Registered Charity No 1117611

Contact us by email or by phone 020 8962 9420
www.themediationlink.co.uk | www.mariaarpa.co.uk