Mediation

Family, Social and Workplace Mediation by Mike McCandless

Mediation is an established approach for couples, social groups, networks and organisations that can help resolve disputes together, achieving sustainable solutions and avoid damaging and costly recourse to the Courts, Tribunals and other formal processes. Professional Mediation can help reduce conflict and promote individual and collective well being. Although not a therapeutic or counselling intervention, Accord recognises its huge potential benefits to families, groups and organisations and is pleased to be able to offer it.

Family and Social Mediation.

The Mediator is impartial and the principle of the approach is that agreements are reached by people themselves, as experts in what is right for them in their social group or family.

The Mediator is there purely to ‘mediate’ or facilitate the process of arriving at a point where decisions can be made and agreed upon by both parties and will not impose a decision or offer legal or other types of advice.  Examples of where mediation can be effective will help couples who are separated or divorced arrive at practical joint decisions about their children, assets and property.  Mediation can also be helpful for a broad range of family, friendship groups and social networks where disputes and conflicts have become seemingly intractable. Joint mediated work on issues that cause conflict can result in healthy and sustainable change.

Workplace Mediation.

Professional mediation provides a positive approach in the Workplace or Organisational setting for people to resolve practical problems and interpersonal issues. Conflict in the Workplace can be damaging to individuals and the organisation itself. Mediation in the Workplace has a positive record of producing solutions that are both sustainable and cost and time efficient. Mediation is a positive alternative to formal HR and legal processes. Mediation reduces the damage, costs and risks of escalation. Mediation can promote constructive dialogue for the parties involved and achieve a healthier environment for all who are affected by the fall out from conflict.

What to Expect

Following initial contact the mediation intervention will usually follow the following stages.

Firstly an informal individual phone or Zoom conversation with the Mediator for each party to establish whether mediation is the right approach.

10-15 minutes, at no cost. If it is agreed that mediation is the way forward this is followed by;

1) An individual session with each party to explore the issues with the Mediator  1 -1.5 hours. 

2) A joint session with both parties together with the Mediator  1-1.5 hours

The focus of the joint session is to work together towards an agreement for the way forward. An agreement is usually written up by the Mediator as a document and sent to both parties. It is preferable to undertake the sessions in person but it is possible to use Zoom if one or both of the parties are not able to attend in person. I find it is best if possible to undertake the individual sessions and the joint session on the same day.

A follow up or review session can be scheduled but if parties subsequently agree that it is not necessary it can be cancelled at no cost.

Cost

Family and Social Mediation; £450

Follow up and review sessions; £150

Reduced rates are available according to ability to pay, please speak to Mike.

Organisational Mediation

Prices on Application