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What can you do when relationships become strained in your church or faith community?
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Do you want to help but are concerned about how – anxious not to make things worse?
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When tension and conflict escalates mediation may be just what is needed!
Mediation is a structured process in which a neutral third party (the mediator) facilitates dialogue between people to help resolve disagreement. Central to it all is careful, respectful listening which builds understanding, enabling participants to find ways forward that bring life and reconciliation. This course introduces a 5 stage process that you practise step by step. Although the focus is on transforming conflicts in churches, the skills that you learn can be used wherever there is a role, formal or informal, for mediative intervention by a third party. The course will help you learn, and enhance skills for relating well with others – useful for you in your role or church, family or community, but could also benefit a local or regional context. If you have an appetite for practical peace-making, and you want to be equipped to make a difference using mediation skills, this is the course for you.
Aim of the Course
To learn and develop peace-making skills that can be used both formally and informally in situations of conflict between individuals in a church setting – and beyond.
Course Content
- Introduction to Conflict Theory, understanding the nature of church conflict, its escalation and opportunities for transformation.
- Exploring the important role of interpersonal communication within mediation, particularly in stressful storm conditions, to minimise misunderstanding and increase possibilities of positive outcomes.
- Learning a Five Stage Transformative Mediation Process with plenty of opportunity to practice process delivery, developing skills and increasing self understanding.
Course Delivery
This course is delivered by 5 contact sessions (in-person and online) supplemented with webinars.
- 2 x One day in-person training sessions at the beginning and end of the course. These will take place 9am – 5pm at The Blackley Centre, Elland, West Yorkshire.
- 3 x Half day online training sessions (3.5 hours) 9.30am – 1pm.
Dates: Spring/Summer 2024
- Day One at The Blackley Centre: Friday 26th April
- Online Zoom Session: Friday 3rd May
- Online Zoom Session: Friday 10th May
- Online Zoom Session: Friday 17th May
- Final Day at The Blackley Centre: Friday 24th May
Spring/Summer Costs
£435 per person or £395 per person (when booking before 31st March).
Future Dates: Autumn 2024
Friday 4th / 11th / 18th / 25th October and Friday 1st Nov / Friday 8th Nov.
About Joanna Williams & Our Bespoke Training
Revd Joanna Williams
Director for Reconciliation
Joanna Williams has over 25 years experience of devising, and delivering high quality training in and for churches, colleges, and other organisations. Training that is offered from The Blackley Centre is mainly bespoke, created to fit the needs and requirements of the particular client. Topics are wide ranging but
centre around the area of peace-building, communication, managing conflict and anxiety effectively and developing teams that work together well.
Joanna is an experienced Trainer/Training Partner for Bridge Builders Ministries, delivering the Mediating Interpersonal Conflicts Course (15+yrs). She is also a Trainer for Smile Mediation, devising and delivering College of Mediators accredited Mediation Volunteers Training (23yrs), and an experienced Mediator in Faith, Community, Workplace & Intergenerational Mediation (25yrs).
