To ensure that the learner will have appropriate understanding of theories, concepts and current awareness pertaining to the field of mediation, and also appropriate knowledge of the principles of mediation and the mediation process to be able to demonstrate this in applied scenarios ready for practice.

The course also gives students an understanding of the legal and ethical parameters within which mediators work and seeks to equip the graduate with an awareness of the impact of conflict behaviour on mediation, from the perspectives of the mediator themselves and the parties to the mediation.

Collaboration and collegiality will underpin all learning strategies adopted. The teaching and learning strategies were chosen with a view to instilling high levels of participant pedagogical development and engagement. Participants will be required to put all learning into practice and allow reflection on this practice to further develop same. Each teaching session will have a highly participative and practical element. Academic assessment of theoretical content is designed to satisfy the demands of QQI level 8 designs. Practical skills are to be assessed to MII published standards, and also will be subject to QQI internal and external examination quality control procedures.

Applicants with a QQI level 7 major awarding any subject will be given automatic entry. Where applications present who do not have the entry requirement above, but with experiential or other learning, their application will be assess using the College QA in relation to recognition of prior learning.

Trainer Profile: Paul Pierse
Training experience: Practicing mediator. In third year as a Lecturer of Law with Griffith College, Cork at levels 7 and 8. Workload includes the formation and correction of assignments, workshops and exams, as well as collaborating on programme and module content design and delivery. Programme co-ordinator for the Diploma in Legal Studies and Practice. Also delivers legal studies programmes to transition year stuedents on behalf of Public Access to Law. Previously worked for one year as an English trainer for executives with Schenk Workshops in Germany.

Qualifications/biog:

• (HETAC Level 8) B. Comm (Int) from NUI Galway
  Solicitor on the Law Society of Ireland Roll of Solicitors
• (HETAC Level 9) Post Graduate Diploma in Training & Education
  Mediators’ Institute of Ireland accredited mediator certified to practice for 2014
• Mediation in the area of Family Succession since 2012 (approx 70 hours mediation completed in the last year)
• Irish Association of Law Teachers member
• Literacy Trainer with the National Adult Literacy Association
• Published author on topics relating to pedagogy and legal aspects of mediation, as well as newspaper articles on areas of law.

Trainer Profile: Mary Lou O’Kennedy BSC, MA, Mediator, Conflict Coach

Training Experience: Mary Lou is a certified CINERGY trainer and has delivered CINERGY conflict coaching training to mediators, HR professionals, managers and coaches over the past three years. She is also a Master trainer of the Conflict-Dynamics Profile assessment tool with the Institute for Workplace Dynamics, Paris. Mary Lou designs and delivers training in Conflict Management and Mediation Skills for businesses and has delivered Family mediation training to mediators. She is a visiting lecturer on a number of Mediation post graduate programmes.

Qualifications/biog:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Science, UCD, 1985
• Master’s Degree in Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, USE, 1988
• Various in-house training courses in Time Management, Facilitation, Negotiation, PR, Strategic Planning, Change Management, ISO 9000
• Commercial Mediation, Friary Law/ADR, 2006
• Family Mediation, Friary Law/ADR, 2007
• Community Mediation: Athena Mediation 2007
• CINERGY Conflict Coaching (Dispute specific) 2008
  Certified Jan 2009
• CINERGY Advanced Conflict Coaching Training 2010
• Cedrtified CINERGY Conflict Coaching Mentor & Trainer 2010
• Certified Conflict Dynamics Coach, Eckerd College, Florida 2010
• Private Caucusing CEDR 2011
• PMR UK (NOCN) Mediation Supervision 2011
• Master Conflict Dynamics Trainer, Eckerd College, Florida 2014
• Becoming Conflict Competent Trainer, Ecker College Florida 2014