Ombuds Training to be Offered in Atlanta

The International Ombudsman Association will offer several training programs before its annual conference in Atlanta, April 17-19, 2015.  The courses include a three-day training on fundamentals for new Ombuds to shorter, specialized courses for experienced practitioners.

Friday, April 17- Sunday, April 19

Three-Day Workshop

Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice

This course covers the fundamentals of the Organizational Ombudsman role. It provides basic information and training for the Organizational Ombudsman by emphasizing the principles of confidentiality, neutrality, independence and informality. The three-day course focuses on how the Ombudsman works with the visitor to the office as well as how th ey act as a change agent within their organization. The course will allow you to practice key Ombudsman skills of listening, asking questions, clarifying, generating options, and moving to actions throughout the Ombudsman process. In addition, an experienced and highly committed faculty of Ombudsmen will share best practices around setting up an office and evaluating and communicating the effectiveness of the office. Instructors: Nicholas Diehl, Wendy Friede, Donna Louden, Reese Ramos, Linda Wilcox

Sunday, April 19

Full Day Specialty Workshops

Understanding and Managing High Conflict Personalities

High-conflict disputes frequently involve one or more individuals with “high-conflict” personality traits. This course explains traits of five high-conflict personality disorders — Borderline, Narcissistic, Histrionic, Antisocial, and Paranoid — and their common conflict dynamics. Four key skills will be discussed, which make up the “C.A.R.S. Method,” including: Connecting with empathy, attention and respect; Analyzing alternatives; Responding to hostility and misinformation; Setting limits with consequences. Each skill will be discussed, with examples and practice exercises. Presented by William Eddy

Half Day Specialty Workshops

AM 1: SALSA — The Dance of a Dialogue

The big idea is Dialogue is a Dance. Knowing the steps of the dance along with how to move with the music are equally important. SALSA stands for Shift your mindset, Ask more, Listen better by attending to cues, Summarize what you hear and Assert perspectives that truly serve the other person. Mindsets affect our behavior. Shifting our mindset is the foundational act of good dialogue (the skills fall flat without the right mindset). Presented by Lynne Chaillat and Ralph Johnson

AM 2: Improvisation, Intuition and Spontaneity: A New Approach for the Ombuds Trainer

Learn how to think on your feet, work well with others and really, truly listen. All are welcome to attend this non-traditional, active training session that uses improvisation to build the conflict resolution skills of each attendee. Improvising, or improv, is creating something without prior preparation. Attendees will be actively participating in improv warm-ups, exercises and structures. Attendees will also learn how to build trust and integrate feedback in order to use this new approach with their own learners. Presented by Adam Barak Kleinberger

PM 1: Systems for Ombuds

Through lecture, small group discussion, and exercises that demonstrate systems theory in action, this session is designed for those with a basic understanding of systems who want to dive deeper. Case studies will help illustrate how to put simple systems tools into practice. Presented by Jan Morse and Wendell Jones

PM 2: An Ombuds Practitioner’s Guide to Title IX and Clery Act Compliance

This interactive workshop will explore critical issues for Ombuds working in higher education relating to the role of Ombuds and compliance issues involving Title VI, VII, and IX as well as the Clery Act. Discussions will focus on key compliance issues including the Ombuds role in serving or not serving as an “office of notice,” mandatory repor ting, and confidentiality issues. The program will include benchmarks to notable campus policies and will include extensive focus on the rapidly evolving best practices for campus Ombuds relative to their role as a point of contact for victims of harassment or assault. The program will include a comprehensive review of the legal issues related to campus crime reporting as required by the Clery Act, and the issues involved in functioning as a “confidential resource” for survivors of harassment or an assault. The program will include discussion and review of the IOA Standards of Practice juxtaposed with the legal notice, reporting, and response requirements of the various titles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Presented by Bruce MacAllister

(IOA 2015 Conf. Info; IOA Posts Agenda for Tenth Annual Conference.)