Low Cost Seminars Offered to Virginia Mediators
Good news for mediators struggling to find low cost trainings for certification. Many states, including Virginia, require continuing education for all court certified mediators. This week, I’m finishing my work on a session approved for 2 continuing mediation credits for as little as $10.00. Here's the details.
Our office has locations in West Virginia and Virginia. We also provide legal and mediation services in the District of Columbia. We accept cases involving mediation, legal services, and collaborative law in both offices. Being certified by both the Virginia Supreme Court and the West Virginia Supreme Court as a mediator gives me opportunities to work with different communities of mediators and develop broader skills and understanding.
This is a screen shot of my session for the VMN spring mini-conference.
As a Virginia mediator, I enjoy my membership in the Virginia Mediation Network. VMN produces excellent educational seminars that provide opportunities for continuing education credits. In the last few years they have offered two conferences every year, one in the fall and one in the spring. This year, VMN is substituting short regional sessions for the statewide spring conference. Each session will be two hours long. The Supreme Court of Virginia, Division of Dispute Resolution Services approved the session for 2 ethic credits. The cost is reasonable, at $10 for early registration for members of the Virginia Mediation Network. Costs are higher for non-members and late registration. VMN will facilitate sessions in eight different locations throughout Virginia.
The first group of regional meetings begin with a 90-minute video presentation. The presentation is in the style of a panel discussion/webinar. After the video, an on-site facilitator will join participants to talk about the issues raised in the video. The participants will enjoy a chance to network with other mediators, over refreshments.
The session, “Challenges in Running a Mediation Practice: Logistics, Ethics, and Getting Down to Business” helps mediators figure out how to set up or grow their mediation practices. We combine the “nuts and bolts” of good business practices with the ethical requirements to create strategies to grow your mediation practice. Facilitated by Harrisonburg attorney/mediator/collaborative lawyer, Marshall Yoder, all three panelists are mediators who have run their own mediation-focused businesses. Bob Carpenter, the principle of Vantage Mediation in Winchester, leads a session on the financial issues of the practice. Karen Richards, of Karen Richards Training and Mediation, LLC in Virginia Beach, addresses marketing. My session addresses business planning.
Last fall, I also participated in the VMN conference, conducting a workshop on evaluating interests during mediation.
We have enjoyed the challenge of this new experience in creating a video presentation and providing for state-wide participation. In 2012, I co-taught an on-line course with Howard Zehr at Eastern Mennonite University. Brian Gumm provided our tech support for that project. He provided us with some wonderful advice and guidance as we launched this first effort with VMN. While our initial session isn't perfect, this platform offers an excellent way for us to create the video. We are planning to extend the sessions next year to provide for internet access to the webinars.
I think that you'll find the seminar packed full of useful information. It provides mediators with a chance to create or fine-tune their businesses. It is also a very economical way for mediators to receive the ethics credits that they need. And of course, youcan enjoy this opportunity to meet other mediators in your region. Register on-line at the VMN website. If you have questions about mediation, please contact us.