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CEDR Comes Across The Pond!

October 12, 2011

       The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (“CEDR”) has been a leader in dispute resolution and conflict management worldwide for over 20 years. Based in London, CEDR operates a dispute resolution service that offers a broad range of processes, including mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation and neutral facilitation. In addition, CEDR provides ADR training in a variety of skills. CEDR is widely recognized as the foremost trainer of mediators in the world.

       This summer, I was fortunate to join 10 other mediators in taking CEDR\’s Mediator Skills Training Course in New York City. Over four, full days, our group received the benefit of demonstration, practice and observation by a faculty of four very experienced CEDR instructors. The course culminated in a each participant mediating a simulated case, with professional actors playing the parties. Upon displaying satisfactory performance of a set of key competencies, participants were awarded the status of CEDR Accredited Mediator. This was the first time this accreditation course had been offered in the United States. 

       The CEDR course was very effective for several reasons. First, the quality of the faculty was excellent, and the class size was small. Second, the course fostered self-awareness through attention to detail and significant coaching feedback. Finally, because the course culminated in an individual assessment of fitness for accreditation, the participants\’ level of focus and effort was notably higher than in the typical mediation training. For any mediator with basic training and some real life mediation experience, this course can be a valuable step in professional development.

[Image: U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky, 9/8/07]