The skills they have learnt will allow them to help resolve disagreements ranging from family fall-outs to disputes in the workplace and even complex commercial conflicts.
The students were awarded the Accredited Professional Certificate in Mediation and Mediation Skills at a formal presentation ceremony at the Magistrate’s Court recently. The new qualification is accredited by Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, the Institute of Law Jersey, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and local dispute experts the Resolution Centre.
The majority of the local students are professionals in disciplines where mediation skills are essential. Among them are members of the teams at the Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman’s Office, the Jersey Consumer Council, the Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities, the Judicial Greffe and Jersey Trading Standards, while others work in the charitable sector.
The awards were presented by course leader Craig Cathcart, a senior lecturer in dispute resolution at Queen Margaret University. He is an active mediator who played a key role in working with the Resolution Centre and the Institute of Law in bringing the CIArb-approved mediation training to the Channel Islands.
The director of studies at the Institute of Law Jersey, Claire de Than, said that the institute was pleased and proud to have played a key role in helping to develop and facilitate the mediation skills course.
‘I am delighted to acknowledge the hard work of the students and the professionals involved in devising the course,’ she said.
Resolution Centre managing partner Clair Cousins said that it was with a sense of great pride that she watched their first cohort of students receive the awards. ‘This was a concept we conceived about 18 months ago and to see it come to fruition was immensely satisfying,’ she said.
The successful students were Alison de Bourcier, Jennifer Bridge, George Butler, Jonathan Channing, Johanna Dentskevich, Bronwyn Gomez, Dominic Hind, Andrea Jimenez, Anne King, Stephanie Knight, James Lambert, Richard Langlois, Galena Lieu, Harry McRandle, Douglas Melville, Louise Reid, Heather Rushton, Robert Simony, Ross Symes, Charlotte Valeur and Sophie Watkins.
