By Chuck Doran, MWI’s Executive Director, and Megan Winkeler
MWI has offered mediation training since 1994. Over the years, we’ve held the program in many venues, including a district courthouse, the Union Club of Boston, One Financial Center, the Boston Bar Association, and MWI’s office and training space in Boston.
One place the training had never been held: online.
When we moved our 40-hour mediation training online in 2020, we had plenty of questions. Would our classroom discussions really be as rich? How would participants learn the physical aspects of being a mediator, including body language and reading the exchange between parties? Could we manage several role-play groups through videoconferencing? And, perhaps most importantly, could trainers and participants build the strong connections we’d enjoyed in our in-person programs?
Online learning is now commonplace, but mediation presents some particular challenges. It is a highly interactive process, and learning to mediate requires more than understanding the concepts.
Our experience has shown that mediation can be taught effectively online. The key is creating opportunities for participants to practice their skills, learn from one another, and engage with their trainers.
Looking Back
“What makes you think you can do this?”
In 1994, as we prepared to deliver our first mediation training in a district courthouse library, the attorney who asked this question meant it in the kindest way possible. But he had a point: MWI was less than a year old, and training new mediators was still an untested vision.
We were confident in the accomplished, talented training team sharing their expertise, and we knew the curriculum was strong. Still, doing something for the first time felt vulnerable, and a big question lingered: would this really work?
Those doubts were unfounded, and participants raved about it. They not only gained mediation skills but also appreciated the rich discussions with trainers and other participants. The training wasn’t just about becoming a mediator; it was about building a community of like-minded practitioners who valued empowering parties to resolve their own disputes.
We feared that sense of engagement and community would be lost in an online workshop. We spent hours adapting our curriculum, building in opportunities for small-group discussions and debate, informal conversations, and role-play simulations. We reviewed how we delivered lectures to ensure the content would remain engaging and interesting outside the classroom.
Based on participants’ feedback, our first online mediation trainings were a success. Participants reported developing communication and negotiation skills they could use in their professional and personal lives. They also appreciated the discussions, relationships, and sense of community they developed throughout the workshop.
What Makes Online Mediation Training Work?
Mediation requires more than an understanding of the process. Mediators need to listen carefully, ask questions, recognize what matters to the parties, and help people work through difficult conversations. These are skills that develop through practice.
MWI’s online training combines instruction, small-group discussions, and role-play simulations that let participants apply what they’re learning. Trainers provide feedback, and participants learn from watching and working with one another.
The online format also offers advantages. Participants can join from different locations without the time or expense of traveling to Boston. This brings together people with different professional backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, enriching the discussions and learning experience.
Our first online programs included participants from across the United States and even Amsterdam!
We initially worried that participants would miss the relationships and sense of community that had always been part of our in-person workshops. Instead, we found that those connections could develop online, too.
Forty Hours Is Just the Beginning
Our engagement with trainees doesn’t end after the training.
A 40-hour mediation training provides participants with an understanding of the mediation process and opportunities to develop and practice their skills. But becoming an experienced mediator takes more than completing a workshop.
New mediators need opportunities to work with parties in actual disputes and keep learning from experience. That’s why MWI offers graduates the opportunity to apply to join our Court Mediation Panel, where qualified participants may gain experience working on actual cases.
Those accepted to the panel follow a three-step process:
- Observe: Watch experienced mediators work with parties in actual cases.
- Co-mediate: Work alongside another mediator and begin putting their skills into practice.
- Mediate: Take the lead in helping parties work through their disputes.
Acceptance to the panel is not guaranteed, and progression through these stages depends on meeting program requirements. We believe that training new mediators isn’t enough. We also want to give them opportunities to use and improve their skills through real cases. These opportunities allow qualified graduates to continue developing as mediators while providing a valuable public service through MWI’s court mediation programs.
Looking Forward
When we offered our first mediation training in 1994, we wondered whether our young organization could successfully present a workshop that both informed and inspired participants. When we moved online in 2020, we found ourselves asking many of the same questions.
Both experiences challenged our assumptions about what could work. We’ve learned that effective mediation training isn’t limited to a physical classroom. With thoughtful planning, engaging discussions, and practice opportunities, participants can develop mediation skills and build connections with fellow trainees online.
And for those interested in continuing their development, MWI offers opportunities to put that training into practice.
Interested in becoming a mediator? Learn more about MWI’s 40-Hour Mediation Training and the opportunities available after training.
