HCC Running New Series of Mediation Training Courses
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is running a new series of mediation training courses this spring, including a free, two-hour introduction class on Thursday, March 7.
The free “Introduction to Mediation Training” class meets March 7 from 6 to 8 p.m., and will cover basic conflict-resolution approaches and communication strategies, plus an overview of mediator training and development and discussion of possible next steps.
A five-week Basic Mediation Training course runs on Tuesdays from March 19 through April 16, from 4 to 9 p.m. each night, focusing on core communication and conflict resolution skills that mediators use.
A third option builds on the five-week Basic course. Participants can choose a three-week extention for a total of eight weeks. The Basic Mediation Training Including Formal Mediation Role Plays meets on Tuesdays from 4 to 9 p.m. until May 7. The extended program incorporates additional instruction and practice sessions integrating those new skills into a formal mediation process, with a certificate confirming participants have met Massachusetts court requirements for basic mediation training.
“Mediation skills are a necessity in everyday interactions and a must for professionals in environments with conflict challenges,” said Ken White, HCC’s dean of Community Services. “Educators, human-resource managers, workplace supervisors, therapists, counselors, and law-enforcement personnel are just some of the professions where effective dispute-resolution strategies are required. HCC’s mediation programs are appropriate for all levels of professionals as well as anyone looking to improve their conflict-resolution skills.”
All the classes meet in HCC’s Kittredge Center for Busines and Workforce Development and will be led by Debbie Lynangale, a mediator from the Mediation & Training Collaborative in Greenfield. For more information or to register, call HCC Community Services at (413) 552-2123 or visit hcc.edu/bce.
