Ku'ikahi Mediation Center is able to provide affordable and accessible dispute resolution services through the help of professionally trained mediators from the community who volunteer their time! Since these volunteers are the backbone of our organization, we offer Basic Mediator Training at least once a year in order to maintain an active pool of qualified mediators and to promote awareness of conflict resolution skills such as conflict analysis, active listening and advanced communications.

Our Basic Mediator Training is an intensive, interactive 32-hour program that includes a training manual and hands-on simulations of several types of mediations. Upon completion of the training, participants will have an opportunity to apply their skills as a volunteer Apprentice Mediator at Ku'ikahi Mediation Center. Apprentices are always paired with a Mentor Mediator during the apprenticeship period.

Congratulations to the 25 people who successfully completed our Fall Basic Mediation Training on November 7, 8, 14, and 15! The next Basic Training is planned for the Spring of 2010. The fee will be $175 for the entire training and materials. Dates and times will be posted here as soon as they are finalized. If you want to be placed on a mailing list for the next training, you may email your name, address, and phone number to info@kuikahi-mediation.org or call us at 935-7844.

Mediators who successfully complete the Basic Training and Ku'ikahi Mediation Center Apprenticeship qualify for advanced training opportunities. Advanced trainings are held periodically to develop skills required for certain types of mediations such as domestic (divorce and child custody disputes) and special education.

Our next advanced offering is a Domestic Mediation Training on March 26, 27, and 28 at the conference room at KTA's Puainako Supermarket. Cost is $100 for this 20 hour, 3.5 day interactive course and the prerequisite is completion of Ku'ikahi's Basic Mediator Training or similar. Trainer Claudia Wahl has a participatory style designed to appeal to a variety of adult learning styles and will cover skills specific to domestic cases including:

• Strategic mediation skills to help couples make decisions
• The court perspective on divorce
• How emotions and decisions affect the couple and children
• Effective techniques to deal with impasse
• How to recognize and deal with power imbalances
• Ethical concerns of the mediator
• Substantive knowledge that a mediator must know in order to effectively mediate divorce issues

Participants will be given the opportunity to role play case scenarios as a way to practice the skill base offered through this training. Enrollment is limited to 24. Click here to download the registration form.

For training questions email training@kuikahi-mediation.org or call the Center at 935-7844.