Welcome to the October edition of the newsletter.
This month it includes the following items;
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Competent Mediator Status
For longer-standing mediators, many of you will remember that there used to be a scheme, administered by Mediation UK, to submit a portfolio of cases for assessment and gain an extra qualification – Competent Mediator status. This scheme has now been taken over by the UK College of Mediators, and the service has decided to offer this opportunity to mediators who have done at least 4-5 cases, including 1 joint meeting, and who would like to demonstrate their progression by gaining extra accreditation.
Below is some more information about what is required when putting together the portfolio (Evidence File).
The Evidence File is an individual portfolio of evidence that demonstrates a mediator’s competence in the standards for competent mediator status. These include: activities (what a competent mediator does), skills and qualities and underpinning knowledge and skills.
The External Assessor will review the file to verify that all evidence is provided for all the standards.
This Factsheet is in 3 sections:
1. What Evidence Should I Include?
There are various ways in which evidence can be presented:
1 Records of direct observation of the mediator’s practice - ideally of real life events - but if necessary, observations of simulated experiences.
2 Case Histories - i.e. Recordings of specific cases, which illustrate how the mediator met the practice standards.
3 Examples of Case notes/records as required by the service.
4 Written accounts/statements from co-mediators, colleagues, administrators, supervisors, managers which will confirm/support that good practice standards have been met.
5 Reflection on learning.
6 A Supervision record.
How many cases?
There must be evidence from at least 3 separate cases.
However, for a new mediator, it may be that 5+ cases over a period of time (likely to be at least 6 months) will be needed in order to cover all the standards. Existing mediators and Independent Mediators can draw on experience of past cases and any assessed evidence from up to two years prior to the final assessment.
Cases that do not progress to round table meetings are valid sources of evidence for all the sections except for those Standards in section 3 that relate to mediating between parties in a face-to-face situation. Evidence from at least one observation of the mediator conducting a round table meeting in a case (or simulation) is required.
What sorts of evidence will be needed for each Section of the Mediation UK Standards?
1 Preparing for a case
2 Initial & Follow Up Contact with Clients
1 Observation by an internal assessor for one case
& Case Histories with self assessment for at least two more
2 Feedback statements from co-mediator/other colleagues
3 Case notes/records as required by the service
4 Reflection on learning (written or verbal in supervision)
3 Conducting Mediation
1 Observation of the mediator conducting at least one Mediation Meeting with two or more parties.
Or - if the opportunity for a round table meetings is not available in the timescale -observation of a simulated meeting with the parties being played by people unknown to the mediator.
mediations
3 Case notes/records associated with these cases
4 Reflection on learning from the experiences
5 Feedback statements from co-mediators/other colleagues
6 Knowledge evidence from written or oral Q & A
4 Evaluation/Accountability
1 Completed feedback sheets/case records/monitoring information
2 Supervision Record
5 Case Management & Administration
1 Supportive statements from Administrator/Case workers/Manager
2 Case Records
3 Other supportive documentation
6 Work Within a Professional & Ethical Framework
1 Training & Development Records
2 Supervision Record/Report
3 Reflection on learning from experience
How much evidence should be gathered?
The evidence file must have evidence to show that the mediator achieved (or would be capable of achieving) the practice standard at least once. It is the Assessor who makes a judgement as to the reliability of that evidence and may ask for further examples to support the inference that the mediator is competent.
Mediators will find that one piece of evidence (e.g. a feedback statement from a co-mediator, the Supervision Report or case histories) will cover several standards in more than one section. These should not be duplicated in the file but should be clearly cross-referenced and all documents should be entered on the evidence index (available from Mediation UK). Finding ways of gathering evidence in an efficient way is to be encouraged. For example an administrator could be asked to confirm that the mediator has met all those standards that are relevant to management/administration in each section with a single statement or on a prepared tick sheet.
Once the mediator and the Assessor consider there is sufficient evidence of competence, the file is ready for submission to the External Assessor for verification. The Assessor will ‘sign off’ the file as complete.
2. How Should I Present My Evidence?
It is not the role of the External Assessor to identify what counts as evidence – the mediator should do this by using clear indexing and careful cross-referencing of evidence. If a file is not consistent with the guidelines below, and is not clearly cross-referenced, the External Assessor may defer to assessment or charge an additional fee to assess the file.
The following minimum presentation standards are to be observed:
Portfolios are to be presented in ring binders, with dividers to indicate each section.
Portfolios are to be clearly labelled with the mediator’s name and service.
All pages are to be numbered.
Clear punch pockets may be used, but should not contain more than 2 single pages, back to back – ie they should not hold sections of information.
A contents page is be included at the front of the portfolio.
Client names will be anonymised or deleted. (Use of correction liquid is acceptable)
All evidence shall be clearly labelled with the reference number(s) (and preferably the title) of the standard(s)
An index shall be included at the front of the portfolio which lists each of the standards and the section / page reference of where evidence to meet that standard is filed. (A free template is attached for this purpose)
A biography of the mediator will be included at the front of the file. This will include relevant experience and professional development plans (Who am I? Where do I fit in? What do I do? What have I done? What do I hope to do? Etc). This gives some background information about the mediator and is particularly useful for those mediators who are using evidence from other areas – ie family mediation.
A written report from the Supervisor (where appropriate) is to be included in the front of the file.
One piece of evidence may meet several standards. All evidence is to be clearly labelled, and cross-referenced in the index.
Specific referencing is required to underpinning knowledge and skills and qualities in addition to mediator activities. Handouts from training programmes are not encouraged. They may be used, but mediators shall demonstrate that they understand the concepts of handouts by applying the concepts to real or theoretical examples and writing this down.
Evidence that has been gathered for other awards ie OCN shall follow the above guidelines.
Evidence shall be supplied from more than 1 case.
It is strongly recommended that the following elements are included:
Please note: If a file does not meet one or more of the minimum standard, the External Assessor may defer assessment. It is essential that evidence files are clearly labelled, indexed and cross-referenced.
A meeting to discuss how to go about preparing a portfolio, with examples of files that have been assessed, is being held on;
Tuesday 10th November, 4.30-6pm
At Herts Young Homeless Office, York House, Salisbury Square, old Hatfield, AL9 5AD
Some mediators from HYHG will attend, along with Mediation Herts mediators. Please could you let the office know if you plan to come along so that we know who to expect.
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Feedback from the AGM
We had a very successful meeting on Tuesday 20th October, which involved Trustees of the service and a number of mediators in discussing ideas for how to go forward over the next 3 years and what areas of our work could be developed further. There will be more detailed information about this once our draft business plan is prepared, which we hope to do by early December. In the interim, here are a few of the ideas and suggestions which came out of the evening’s discussions.
If you were unable to attend and have some ideas you would like to contribute to this discussion, please let me have those by e-mail by Wednesday 4th November when the strategy group meets to take forward this planning.
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Communication Channels within the Service
I have noticed over time that some mediators do not seem to be aware of information, which has been circulated by e-mail and in the newsletters. This includes information about paid opportunities within the service, training days and sessions and other forthcoming events.
We do use e-mail a lot because clearly it is a cheaper and quicker way to communicate with a dispersed team, but we then rely on you to individually read the messages and attachments that are sent out. We also put all our newsletters on the website, including back copies. If this means of communication does not suit you, could you let us know and we will try to adapt it accordingly. It is very difficult to change things when there is little feedback to us about how it is being received. And I would urge you to read the messages coming into your Inbox as there may well be opportunities which would interest you there.
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Mediator News
We’ve had some delightful news from Tracy Heather, whose daughter Rebecca Eve was born on the 5th October weighing 7 pounds 5.5 ozs. They are both doing well and we hope to welcome Tracy back following her maternity leave.
Sarah Leonard had her son, Oscar, back in March and hopes to return to doing mediation in the New Year.
We welcome 3 new apprentice mediators to the team;
Jeremy Brown, Tristan Cooper and Sarah Mack
Shlomit has rejoined the team after a break to complete her psychotherapy training.
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Mediator Training
We have had a number of enquiries from volunteers wishing to undertake training and become involved as mediators. I am currently looking at offering an OCN course in mid Feb/early March. It appears that we will have more prospective trainees than places on the course so, if you are recommending it to friends or contacts, please stress that there will be a selection process with no guarantee of a place. There is an increasing interest in gaining the skills that we learn when training, and many people looking for career changes as traditional workplaces come under financial pressures.
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Any feedback or contributions to future editions will be greatly appreciated.
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