May 21, 2009

Mediate.com Unveils Certification Program

The Internet's largest mediation website has announced a mediator certification program. The scheme has been in development for more than a year and will rival the certification program being developed by the International Mediation Institute. Mediate.com says that ceritification is primarily for the benefit of consumers and their advisers. The adopted training and experience standards are consistent with those recommended by the ACR Task Force. Some of the highlights of the program include:
  • Training and Experience -- Mediators must have at least 100 hours of mediation training and 500 hours of mediation experience.
  • Test -- There is no examination of any kind.
  • Cost -- The application fee and first year membership is $150; thereafter the annual cost is $50.
  • Audit of Applications -- Mediate.com will review information provided by the applicant, including web site information, to ensure compliance with program standards.
  • References -- Applicants must supply references to attest to the mediator's work.
  • Continuing Education -- Certified mediators are required to complete at least 12 hours of annual continuing education.
  • Ethical Standards -- Members must subscribe to the Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators promulgated by the American Arbitration Association, the American Bar Association’s Section of Dispute Resolution, and the Association for Conflict Resolution.
  • Not Available for Offices -- Certification is available to individuals only.
  • International -- The program is intended to be global.
  • Enforcement -- There is no apparent protocol for decertifying mediators.
At the Organizational Ombudsman Blog, Clayton Gilman takes a critical look at Mediate.com's certification program and finds some good and bad elements. Overall he concludes that, “this is yet another organization telling me ‘you don’t qualify for our club’.” (Mediate.com Blog, Certification Program; Organizational Ombudsman Blog.)

Related post: International Mediation Institute Reveals Certification Plans.

No comments:

Post a Comment