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Community Mediation in the Shetland Islands
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There are 22 community mediation services around Scotland, helping neighbours in conflict find a positive way forward and sort out their differences. The Scottish Community Mediation Centre supports these services by providing admin for their network and offering training and advice. In this podcast, we hear from Ingrid who runs the Shetland service, and learn a little about how island life and communities affect the way mediation is delivered.
Restorative Practice
In a little over a month’s time, I will be running a workshop on the subject of Restorative Practice. This is a term that may be unfamiliar to many of you. You might wonder “restore what?” or “how does it work?” The restorative landscape contains a number of phrases that describe different processes, and for those unfamiliar with these terms, it can be confusing.
There is “restorative approaches” where the practitioner works with only one person. There’s “restorative justice” which is where cases relating to criminal offences are worked with, and then there’s restorative practice. This last phrase, restorative practice, covers all types of activities in a restorative setting. But what does restorative mean?
When can conflict be good?
When can conflict be good? (reprise of July 2025 blog)
Usually conflict is presented as something that is negative, and that there is one side seen as right and the other as wrong. These two factors have an impact on how people view, and work with conflict. Conflict being portrayed as something that is negative and, separately, that the two sides in a conflict always consist of one agent who is in the right and the other in the wrong, act as masks to a broader understanding and appreciation of conflict. It can cause a ‘flight, fight or freeze’ response, none of which helps sort out a conflict amicably.
On our Mediation Skills training, one of the things we look at are the different conflict management styles people use, and how this may vary from one situation to another. We also propose that conflict can be helpful, can even be good. For some, this may come as a surprise.
Understanding Conflict
Understanding conflict
Being in the middle of a conflict can be a confusing place to be. Whilst trying to counter a fight/flight/freeze response, with a load of thoughts and emotions in tow, it can be difficult to think straight in the moment.
We are running a short introductory workshop next month on Conflict and Mediation. If you’ve ever felt there might be a better way to handle a conflict or you’re curious to know a bit more about mediation, why not join us at lunchtime on 7th September?
summer time: a reflection
As teachers and pupils take a well-earned break, perhaps now is a good opportunity to reflect on the role of both mediation and restorative practice in the education sector. Work by Scottish Mediation, Sacro, Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) and other statutory, voluntary and educational bodies have achieved significant progress over the past few years in Scotland.
Richard Hendry, who developed training for both restorative practice and, separately, peer mediation in schools in the 1990s, reflects in this podcast on his work over the decades and also his learning.
When I met with him to record this podcast late last year, one line in particular stood out for me. Near the beginning of this podcast he talks about his appreciation for the “potential for individual growth”.
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