Services

• Resource development for the field
• Qualitative program evaluation research
• Training Services
• Training for Trainers
• Mentoring and Tutorials

Resource development for the field

The Institute's primary function is that of a "think tank," creating and stimulating the development of resources for the conflict resolution field, including policy papers, annotated bibliographies, training materials (including manuals and audiovisual resources), and white papers. As part of this function, the Institute also convenes seminars and symposia for the field, and provides consultation on policy decisions to dispute resolution organizations and agencies.

Qualitative program evaluation research

The growth of mediation as a conflict resolution process has led to the establishment of mediation programs in the courts, public agencies, non-profit settings and the private sector. A fundamental challenge for any such program is to determine whether it is a success.

"Success" is usually considered a function of whether and how the goals of the program are being met. Programs have a variety of reasons for examining whether they are meeting their goals: to meet the demands of reporting to program funders, for quality control, and for planning improvements to existing services.

The choice of method for conducting a program evaluation is critical, because the way in which "success" is defined for purposes of evaluation influences how mediators conduct their interventions. In other words, mediators will aim for "success" as it is defined by the evaluation program.

Traditional quantitative research provides answers to some evaluation questions, such as how many cases have settled, how much time it took each case to settle, and how much the process cost. But, measures of efficiency and speed seldom address matters of quality. If a mediation program wants to look beyond efficiency and speed, and to explore the quality of services delivered, another approach is needed. The Institute offers qualitative program evaluation research to meet this need.

Qualitative program evaluation research is conducted in the natural setting of the program, using interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, case studies, discourse analysis and other approaches. In consultation with the program administrators, the Institute will design a research approach and submit a proposal that is appropriate for:

• The goals of the mediation program;
• The setting of the program,
• The reporting, planning or quality control needs of the program- and
• The budget of the program.

Through qualitative program evaluation research, critical and meaningful information about the mediation program and the quality of its services can be discovered:

• What do participants in the mediation process experience?
• What do participants in the mediation process value?
• What impact has the mediation process had on the participants?
• What affects a participant's satisfaction with the mediation process?
• What affects a participant's satisfaction with the outcome of mediation?
• What do participants expect from the mediation process?
• What do the mediators experience?
• What do the mediators value, and how does it shape their interventions?
• In a larger context, such as a workplace environment, what impact does the mediation program have on the quality of life?
• What is the relationship between policy and practice?

Training services

The Institute offers the most contemporary, distinctive and innovative training services in the conflict resolution field, based on the premises of the transformative approach to conflict. All training programs are based upon the complementary principles of empowerment (facilitating and supporting the considered, deliberate decision-making of the parties) and recognition (highlighting opportunities for voluntary interpersonal perspective-taking and understanding). These principles, so simple to understand yet so challenging to transfer to practice, guide the content of each training program as well as the training process itself.

Trainees emerge from each training with an understanding of the theory and practice skills which are appropriate to the particular training topic, as well as:

• An understanding of the relationship between a third party intervenor's motivations and the interventions used in practice;
• The skills to focus on and attend to the moment-by-moment interactions of the participants;
• The ability to truly facilitate and engage in non-directive interventions which respect the participants' competence and good faith;
• The capacity to take a responsive rather than directive or evaluative role in intervention.

The Institute offers the following as standard training programs, and in addition, frequently tailors specialized training programs to the needs of a client:

• Mediation Theory and Skills Training
• Advanced Mediation Skills for Experienced Practitioners

The Institute offers its training programs throughout the United States and abroad, in partnership with state mediation associations, local mediation centers, universities, courts and state agencies. For a list of currently scheduled programs, see "Coming Events." To arrange for or sponsor a training program in your area, contact Dorothy J. Della Noce at dellanoce@ezonline.com.

Training for trainers

The Institute is committed to providing program support for organizations which have a need to regularly train new mediators and enhance the skills of their existing corps of mediators. In this regard, we offer training programs for those who are interested in helping mediators and other third party conflict intervenors understand and work from a transformative framework. In these programs, Institute leaders draw on the insights gained in the Training Design Consultation initiative and in designing training for the USPS REDRESS Program. Trainers will learn how to create a training environment that honors Relational premises, as well as how to help trainees develop a theoretical understanding of the work of third parties and how to translate theory to practice. We bring these programs on-site for the sponsoring organization. An annotated training manual is provided, and those who complete this workshop successfully will have access to training materials created by the Institute for their individual training programs.

Mentoring and Tutorials

The Institute leaders believe that training is a preliminary step toward understanding and working toward conflict transformation, and that it is important to support trainees with mentoring and tutorials as they take new ideas from training programs into their practices.
The Institute sponsors an Intensive Intervention Tutorial to support trainees in their learning process. This is a two-day, limited enrollment workshop with Institute leaders. Trainees are encouraged to bring videotapes of themselves either in live mediations and third party interventions (with permission from the clients), or in role play. The program features intensive videotape analysis, as well as short presentations clarifying premises and practice. Attendees must provide evidence of having completed an initial training in the transformative framework, such as that provided through the USPS.