News

Restorative Skills training - bookings now open

“A really informative and enjoyable course I would be happy to recommend to colleagues”

We are now just seven weeks away from our next Restorative Skills training course.

We hold this once a year and are now taking bookings for our October event. Consisting of ten modules over six days, together with five hours of self-study, it is an accredited course and is equivalent to SCQF level 6.

So who signs up for this training? We have people from a range of work. From community justice workers, to youth justice workers, those interested in applying a restorative approach within their organisation, staff from other charities as well as others wishing to supplement their existing ‘toolbox’ of skills. It is a practical, interactive and fun course and we have been delivering this on behalf of Sacro since 2017.

Accreditation and SCMN

In my recent blog I mentioned the Scottish Community Mediation Network, or SCMN. This network is for mediators and managers that deliver community and homelessness mediation services. It provides a space to share successes, shed light on learning and discuss initiatives. Since 2007, the SCMN has supported three accreditation schemes. These accreditation schemes are for services, mediators and training providers.

It has been my pleasure to support these schemes over the years. Nowadays I train assessors and run awareness workshops for mediators and service managers, together with providing administrative support. When I reflect on the work that underpins these schemes, what strikes me is that the reasons for people taking part, becoming accredited, can vary hugely. And yet the outcome is often similar.

Conflict can be Creative!

A while ago I was at one of the meetings for the Scottish Community Mediation Network (SCMN) and heard from mediators around Scotland. Listening to the mediators around the virtual room, what struck me was not only the flexibility required as a mediator – different clients requiring different levels of support and types of approach, but also how creative clients can be in sorting out the issues between them. And this got me thinking about the role of creativity in mediation.

Mediators are not there to tell people what to do, but rather to help people listen to each other, share how the conflict has been affecting them and together construct a way forward that sorts out their problems. The energy - the creativity – in this process firmly sits with the clients. However, mediators can be creative. 

Selling Mediation

It’s now just over a month until our workshop on the subject of Selling Mediation. Aimed at those mediators who want to learn more about ways to put across what mediation and help potential clients overcome their fears and concerns. Awareness of mediation here in Scotland has grown over the years, but there are still misconceptions and a lot of the population hasn’t heard of mediation. Some confuse it with meditation, or even medication!

For many, it is a novel approach to conflict, and so the mediator needs to patiently and carefully take them through explaining what it is, the process and how they can be supported and kept safe throughout.

For more information about this workshop or to book a space, visit our training calendar.