Mediation
Confidential, Effective, Convenient, Empowering, Educational, Free
Confidential: Mediators can not share details about the mediation with others. Effective: Mediators help parties (people in conflict) identify issues and resolve their disputes. Convenient: Mediations are scheduled according to the parties' schedules. Empowering: Mediation is designed to help people to create their own solutions. Educational: Mediation is an opportunity to learn how to deal effectively with conflict. Free: UDRP mediation services are offered at no charge to the GMU community.
Mediation is a confidential conflict intervention process in which a neutral mediator works with two or more individuals to reach a resolution to their disagreement or dispute. It is a voluntary process that can be halted at any point by any of the participants, including the mediator. Trained mediators guide parties through the mediation process, but do not have control over the outcome.
During mediation, parties meet with a mediator in a confidential setting. The mediator is there to facilitate the mediation process and help the parties come to their own agreement. At the beginning of the mediation, each party is able to share his/her views on the dispute with the other person. After the parties define and clarify what the issues are in the dispute, the mediator then helps the parties to talk about possible resolutions to their dispute. The mediator also helps the parties to assess the solutions suggested. If the parties are able to reach an agreement, the mediator may draft a document describing the agreement if the parties feel it is necessary.
UDRP mediators are trained volunteers from George Mason University and the Greater Washington DC area. Mediators help people explore the issues pertaining to their dispute and guide them toward an mutually satisfying agreement. Mediators are not counselors, judges or decision-makers. Mediators are unbiased, neutral intermediaries whose role is to help parties reach a resolution.
Mediation is appropriate for any of the following situations:
- Disputes with other GMU community members: classmates, roommates, GMU co-workers, professors, etc.
- Disputes within or between student organizations
Facilitation
Effective, Convenient, Empowering, Educational, Free
Effective: Facilitators help groups identify issues, communication patterns and address any disputes. Convenient: Facilitations are scheduled according to the groups' schedule. Empowering: Facilitation is designed to help groups manage their own relationships. Educational: Facilitation is an opportunity to learn how to deal effectively with conflict. Free: UDRP facilitation services are offered at no charge to the GMU community.
Facilitation is a process in which a facilitator helps a group or organization communicate clearly and effectively and move productively through decision-making and problem-solving processes. Facilitators can help enhance communication within or between groups in a variety of settings.
Facilitation is appropriate for any of the following situations:
- Group meetings
- Team-building retreats
- Sessions for brainstorming and/or problem-solving
Dialogue
Effective, Convenient, Empowering, Educational, Free
Effective: Dialogue help a diversity of individuals and groups discuss differences, identify common ground, and address any disputes. Convenient: Dialogue sessions are scheduled according to the groups' schedule. Empowering: Dialogue is designed to help groups manage their own relationships. Educational: Dialogue is an opportunity to learn how to deal effectively with conflict. Free: UDRP dialogue services are offered at no charge to the GMU community.
Dialogue is an opportunity to change perceptions and relationships by talking beyond comfort levels in a safe environment. Groups of students, staff, and faculty, from different identity groups gather to share the different experiences, perspectives and stories that have shaped who they are today. There are 6-12 participants per group, and the dialogue sessions are co-facilitated (2 facilitators). Dialogue sessions may take place over several hours, days, weeks, or months - depending on the needs, goals, and resources of each group.
The goals of the dialogue process are to build understanding between and across communities, and to create and develop bonds of inter-community awareness through the exploration of differences. Through this process, UDRP hopes that members of the GMU community will gain valuable interpersonal and communication skills which carry beyond the dialogue and back to the classroom, workplace, group, or larger community.
UDRP's Dialogue Project was established in 2000 by Jennifer Murphy. The project aims to build community at George Mason University through facilitated conversations on topics such as: race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, etc. Dialogue topics have included Gender, Living Internationally, and Muslim/Non-Muslim Womens' Issues.
Conflict Resolution Training
Effective, Convenient, Empowering, Educational
Effective: Conflict resolution training offers participants a variety of communications skills and conflict resolution models. Convenient: Training sessions are located periodically on the GMU Fairfax campus. Empowering: The trainings are designed to help individuals and groups develop their own conflict resolution skills. Educational: Learning how to deal effectively with conflict is useful in both personal and professional settings.
Mediation Training: A series of three workshops that are approved by the state of Virginia and can be used towards mediation certification by the Supreme Court of Virginia:
- Basic Mediation Training (20 hours) teaches basic mediation skills and provides instruction in structuring the mediation process. It is approved by the state of Virginia and is the first step in receiving state certification;
- Mediation Structured Role Play Training (16 hours) is designed to meet the State of Virginia's general mediation certification requirement for the observation of two cases; and
- Judicial Training (four hours) covers important and relevant aspects of the Virginia Judicial process.
**These workshops are conducted by contracted trainers. There is a discounted fee to attend each of these workshops. The fee covers trainers' fees, printing costs, and light refreshments. For more information on fees and workshop dates, please see the Events & Activities page of this website.
Conflict Resolution Skills Workshops: are designed and delivered by UDRP volunteers in accordance with the needs of your group, class, department, or organization. UDRP's training committee will work with your group, department, or organization to design a training that meets your goals. These workshops are offered at no charge to GMU community members. Examples of past trainings and workshops include:
- Advocacy Skills:
- Anger Management: Helps participants learn to recognize their own anger triggers, and how anger affects their interactions with others. Participants explore how anger can be productive or non-productive, and are given tools for using anger energy in creative and positive ways.
- Collaborative Communication Skills:
- Conflict Style Analysis:
- Culture & Conflict:
- Difficult Conversations:
- Facilitation & Dialogue:
- Team-Building: These workshops are designed to help an existing team (organization, department, work group) jointly identify and explore areas for improved synergy and communication. Teams experiment with models of team functioning and/or team-building processes, in order to create their own system for enhanced future functioning. If appropriate, the workshop may also function as a problem-solving forum for handling existing conflict or impediments to group effectiveness. As a final option, participants may choose to focus the workshop on team renewal and visioning their direction for the future.
In addition to any credit provided by the University, the course has been approved to meet the 20-hour basic education requirements for mediation certification under guidelines promulgated by the Judicial Council of Virginia and the Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia. To be certified in General Mediation, in addition to successful completion of the course you must also take a four-hour course on the Virginia Judicial System (or waive out of this requirement based on work experience with the court system) and complete two observations and three co-mediations with a Virginia certified mentor/mediator. Students successfully completing the course will be provided documentation of fulfilling the 20-hour basic education requirement.
Classroom Presentation
UDRP offers classroom presentations on a variety of topics. Some of these include:
- Advocacy
- Conflict Resolution Services
- Mediation
