London (UK) Mediation Training Course in the CAOS Model of Mediation

Become a Mediator!

Join our Mediation Training Course, held over 6 days in West London, and be trained by practising Mediators, all with over 20 years of experience. 

Our next Mediation Training Course has been arranged for: 

Next course:

Mon-Weds 12th - 14th May

and

19th - 21st May 2025

Training is held at Key House, 106, High Street, Yiewsley, Middlesex UB7 7BQ (within London Oyster zones in London Borough of Hillingdon).

All days are from 10.00am - 5.00pm and tea/coffee is available from 9.30am

How much does the CAOS Mediation Training Course cost? 

£1675 (Public Sector organisations)

£1425 (charities/community groups)

£1375 (Individuals, paying for themselves) 

Bookings of 2 people from one organisation qualify for a 10% discount

Call us on 020 3371 7507 for more information about our next course or contact us via the form below: 

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Mediation Training Course Accreditation?
Please be aware of some 'cloudiness' on this issue which we hope our video and links below will help to make more clear. 

Please watch this video (5mins 30s) to see our view on accreditation in relation to our mediation training course...

....If, after watching the video above you'd like to read more about the topic of accreditation, or 'qualification' in the mediation world, see also these articles:

Click Here to get the 'low down' on this ambiguous issue in the mediation world. 

Alternatively, read this post on 'Mediation Accreditation - Red Herring, Rip Off or Real Sign of Quality?

And finally this very succinct article by Tammy Lenski, a prominent practitioner of mediation as well as author and trainer in the USA where the same 'ambiguities' arise as in the United Kingdom: 

You Say You're A Certified Mediator.  Says Who? Note the difference between what Tammy says....that of being a 'certified' mediator and that of having a certificate to show completion of a particular training course. There are few situations in which a mediator has a status of 'certified'. Please be clear that you are aware of the difference when choosing your training course. Similarly confusions arise for the term 'qualified'. 

At CAOS we provide the CAOS Mediation Practitioners Certificate to attendees who complete our training course.

This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields (labelled below in red) have been filled in
Register Your Interest in our Mediation Training Course below:
Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.
First Name*
Last Name*
E-Mail Address*
Home Phone
Phone
Are you ready to book a place on the course? *
Yes Not yet, I have some questions below...
Please enter any questions:
Please enter the word that you see below.

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Why join a CAOS Mediation Training Course? 

• We have been training people in this model of mediation for 21 years, enabling them to provide mediation in a wide range of dispute areas - see examples lower down the page of areas of application and organisations we have provided training for.
• Our trainees go on to provide mediation in areas such as family conflict, workplace disputes, neighbour disputes, complaints work. Mediation is a generic process that can be used in any 'human interaction' context and so, once trained, you can provide mediation in the above areas and more. 
• We use a practical, interactive, experiential approach to our training which means you are prepared to start practising on completion of the course.
• No need to do 'observations' after the course in order to complete the training. We give substantial direct experience on the course itself. 
• We use a reflective learning approach that sees mediation practice as a discipline requiring continuous review and improvement. 
• We therefore provide post-course support to help you continue your mediation journey and to help you develop as a mediator. We don't train you and forget you, you become a member of our Learning Community of Mediators. 
• Our mediation training course is significantly cheaper but not lower quality than the larger training organisations because we don't have so many overheads like marketing costs and other overheads.
• Most of our trainees come to us via word of mouth recommendation. See comments from past trainees given lower down. 
• You don't need 'prior qualifications' to train with us. We have trained people with every level of education to become effective, practising mediators. Mediation is not an academic topic, it is a person-centred, practical skill. 

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This video goes through the many reasons people trained to be a mediator with CAOS Conflict Management and also the many benefits they didn't foresee that arose for them after doing the course.

It also looks at 'who' is the 'typical' mediator? What their background is, what their likely qualifications are and other aspects.

You may be surprised to hear the answer....

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Some comments about our Mediation Training Course by past attendees:

"I spoke to XXX (FGC Practitioner) this morning, she was very pleased and complimentary about her training with you. It clearly challenged and made her think about the work, and what’s needed to achieve results. She now has her first referrals, and I’m confident she’ll do well. Many thanks"   Local authority Family Group Conferencing manager

"Although not a fan of role-plays normally, I found them the most useful part of the days. I also think being the mediation participants [in the role play] is important so you consider how that feels and reflect on them being in charge of it. I like the appreciation of the need to do 'gatherings' and regularly reflect" - Rebecca Ireland - Homelessness Adviser 

"It's been quite some time since I have engaged in face to face training. I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the opportunity to go on what felt like an adventure into 'the land of mediation'. Thank you Alan!" Angela Coley - Family Group Conference Co-ordinator

"I approached Mediation training with ambivalent feelings – I have often found staff development training .... to be of limited use, however I hoped that this time things would be different. It was; this six day course was a revelation. On the first day I came to appreciate how far-reaching a mediator’s approach to dealing with conflict could be." - Dr Mary Richards, Brunel University

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course - Thanks!"- Adeyinka Adeduntan, School HR Manager, Swanlea School, Whitechapel

"Anyone considering entering the Mediation arena or existing practitioners seeking a refresh, this course is a must! Excellent in content and delivery. Thank you Alan" - Paulette Tajah-Bell, Family Group Conferencing, Consultant in Diversity Awareness

"I loved the training. Alan is knowledgeable, approachable and has introduced me to a new approach to my work. Training is intense - a lot of thinking about the role of mediation, lots of listening and loads of role-play. Great learning environment and teaching style." Mary Bullivant - Services Manager, Young People and Families, The Bridge, East Midlands

"Thank you once again so much for your training that has deeply inspired me. I would say it's the best training I have ever had" Joachim Wauters - Management Consultant, Accenture

"Was bloody excellent - as a Mediator Virgin I feel like I could follow a process, with practice, and mediate well!" - Lisa - Wyre Forest Nightstop and Mediation 

"I feel like this course is infiltrating into all aspects of my life right now! I'm currently really busy managing a team of students and I think I'm a better listener and a more empowering leader because of the course." - Joy Justice, who practises as a Mediator and Conflict Coach in the Leeds/Bradford area.

"This Mediation Training Course is good value for money. It is thorough and intensive, led by an experienced course leader who is also a trained and experienced teacher. Intense but enjoyable affording growth both personal and professional. Many insights gained are applicable in a variety of settings." - Sheila Maharaj - Social Worker 

"Surprisingly the role plays worked well for me. The reason I say surprisingly is that I don't particularly enjoy role-plays, however I found them very powerful and they gave me a real sense of mediation and how it should feel." - Jacqueline Allen - Manager - John Lewis Partnership 

"The ethos has been creeping into my support role practice and has enhanced my ability to listen, not judge and to help the person I am supporting find their own route to success. I am finding this very rewarding when I have the response of a smile and a thank you when they suddenly realise they can fix things and retake control for themselves. They are leaving with a new viewpoint and are not as stressed and wound up as when I first meet them. Thank you for giving me new edge. When they are thanking me in some way they are thanking you too." Zoe Wate - Bullying and Harassment Support Worker, Plymouth University

"For me the financial outlay was a significant one in terms of my accessible funds, but it proved such excellent value for money that the benefits to me could be compared to 6 days holiday." - Christine Briggs, Family Group Conference Co-ordinator and Mediator

....and some post-course feedback from Cheryl Bamford at Roundabout Youth Housing Charity in Sheffield:

"Your training has really helped me to feel much more confident in my role and has absolutely made such a difference to how I practice. It’s made my job so much easier and helped to take off the pressure I had put myself under. Without the training there is no way I would be facilitating joint meetings the way I do, with a new found confidence in knowing what I am doing. Results for clients are good and their feedback at the end of support has been fabulous." 

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Post-course Support

After training you can join our Learning Community of Mediators and continue to develop your practice with the support of CAOS Conflict Management. 

Our mediation training course is commissioned by Local Authorities, Universities and Community groups for direct practical application. 

These organisations have to be very careful about getting value for money, so you can be sure our course is good value and good quality - check out our testimonials below and in the right column to see what participants have said.

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Our mediation training course is practice-focused and experiential involving role-play, individual, pair and group work, and discussion. 

You will start to practise the skills of being a mediator from Day 2 of the course and will then continue to practise and improve as the course progresses.

Unlike many other courses where direct practice is not introduced until much later on the course, thus requiring trainees to arrange their own 'observations' and 'assessments' beyond the course (often at further cost), the CAOS course gives continuous practice throughout so that you are ready to start practising immediately after the course is over.

We know this is so as many of our trainees go straight into a mediator role subsequent to their training and go on to provide it successfully both within a range of organisations and as individual freelance mediators. 

We embed a reflective-practice approach into our training and support trainees in using this so that they have a continuous practice development tool for use beyond the course when they start to take on cases. 

Our mediation training course has enabled trainees to go on to apply the skills learned on the course in a wide range of contexts including: 

• Workplace disputes
• Complaints (For example NHS complaints and University student complaints) 
• Neighbour disputes
• Homelessness disputes
• Family disputes
• Disputes in schools 
• Disputes between service users and professionals, for example in a social-work context
• Group disputes
• Prior to family group conferences
• Difficulties between couples and post-divorce between ex-partners over parenting 
• ....... and other issues

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Why is the CAOS Mediation Training Course different? 

Here is a 3-Video Series on youtube about Mediation created by Alan Sharland, Director of CAOS Conflict Management: 

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Some more comments from attendees at our Mediation Training Course:

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If you would you like to be trained in the CAOS Conflict Management approach to mediation:

• We provide more than a Practitioner's Certificate at the end of the course, we also provide support beyond the course via monthly, low cost opportunities to continually review and improve your practice as a member of our Learning Community of Mediators
• Our Mediation Training Course has been provided for the last 20 years to hundreds of staff at Universities, Local Authorities, Community organisations and to Community Mediation services, as well as for individuals, to enable them to practise as Mediators.

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The Other Features of the CAOS Conflict Management Mediation Training Course:

• Call us on 020 3371 7507 if you are interested.
• Payment by instalments can be arranged.
• Discounts start at 10% on bookings of 2 or more places.
• You will be ready to start practising as a mediator immediately after completing our mediation training course though of course we recognise you may feel some early hesitancy.
• We offer support before and after the course to help you develop your Mediation practice and business and your ideas for how you want to use mediation.
• Following full attendance on the CAOS mediation training course you will receive the CAOS Conflict Management Mediation Practitioner's Certificate.
• Training group sizes are a maximum of 8 to ensure focused attention on trainees' needs for learning.
• Our Mediation Training Course has been developed out of 24 years of mediation experience, to enable practical application of the skills learned in a wide range of dispute resolution situations including the workplace, the family, communities, within organisations, complaints work etc.
• We have an ever-growing Learning Community of CAOS-trained Mediators with whom you can meet and discuss cases and experiences in order to learn and develop your mediation practice. We hold monthly meetings for this to happen, via Skype or other online facility and in person at different venues, and charge a very reasonable rate to attend.

This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields (labelled below in red) have been filled in
Register Your Interest in our Mediation Training Course below:
Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.
First Name*
Last Name*
E-Mail Address*
Home Phone
Phone
Are you ready to book a place on the course? *
Yes Not yet, I have some questions below...
Please enter any questions:
Please enter the word that you see below.

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What is the CAOS Conflict Management approach to mediation?

What do I learn that's different?

We are offering a mediation training course in our unique approach to mediation.

The CAOS approach does not rely on those involved in a dispute agreeing to a face-to-face or 'joint' meeting before it can assist them in resolving their difficulty. It happens or it doesn't. Our approach to mediation can assist disputants whatever their level of involvement in the process.

(Please note, we don't mean that we use Shuttle Mediation)

Many mediators become disillusioned with mediation when they find they cannot 'get the parties to a joint meeting'.

Our mediation training course provides trainees with:

• The skills to facilitate the creative thinking of any party or parties they work with, whether individually or in a face-to-face meeting, such that new, more effective ways of responding to their dispute can be created.
• A recognition that 'successful mediation' or 'resolution' of a dispute is not dependent on the parties meeting in the presence of a mediator.
• The learning that the CAOS approach to mediation is fundamentally about supporting the empowerment of individuals to create their own, more effective ways of responding to their difficulties.

If you choose to join us, some of the skills you will enhance on the course include:

• Questioning Skills to support the creativity of disputants while maintaining impartiality as the Mediator
• Recognising and managing your own assumptions
• Recognising and managing your 'Rescuer' which undermines your effectiveness as a mediator.
• A simple but powerful approach to reflective learning to help you continuously develop and improve your mediation practice beyond the training course.

We have learned from experience that a face-to-face or joint meeting was an optional, not an essential, aspect of what mediation can offer and still it can support resolution.

Where a face-to-face or joint meeting does not occur, the mediators can still support individuals in finding self-supporting ways of responding to their dispute, which can, in itself lead to a resolution of their situation. Our model of mediation enables the support of participants in the process in creating more effective and satisfactory ways forward from their difficulty whether a joint meeting takes place with the other person(s) or not.

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Are you interested in learning the CAOS approach to mediation? CAOS Conflict Management offers more than just the mediation training course. We can also help you plan your Mediation practice before the training and help you market it and set up the necessary systems beyond the training if you want help with this. Click here to find out more about what we offer.(Opens new page)

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"It only takes one person to end a war, and you're the one. What a perfect set up!" - Byron Katie

Many disputes become 'stuck' because there is a continual expectation for the other person involved in the dispute to 'change'.

This dependency situation can become chronic if the party or parties affected by the situation make another person's 'changing' the only option for resolution.

Taking such a perspective disempowers the individual as it leads to a belief that the only option for resolution to occur lies outside of themselves, implying they are somehow 'irrelevant' to its resolution and powerless to change their situation. When both parties to a dispute adopt this view there is an inevitable stagnation in the relationship and little chance of them creating a way forward because they are both expecting the other person to change rather than create changes that work for them whether the other person changes or not.

And Mediators themselves can become 'stuck' when they want to 'get' parties to a joint meeting but they don't want to go.

Mediation training can often focus more on ways of 'getting the parties to a joint meeting' than on simply supporting any disputant in finding more effective ways of responding, whether in a joint meeting or individually.

It doesn't have to matter.

If a mediator adopts an approach where it does matter, it can render them as powerless and frustrated in their own practice as the disputants are in their conflict.

The CAOS Mediation Training Course trains you in the CAOS approach which allows all interactions made with a party experiencing conflict to become an opportunity to support them in creating more effective ways of responding to their dispute, whether on the telephone, or at an individual meeting with the party, or in a face-to-face meeting between all the parties in dispute.

If our Mediation Training Course sounds interesting to you, please CONTACT CAOS to register your interest.

The CAOS approach to mediation has been developed by Alan Sharland, Director of CAOS Conflict Management over the last 20 years through mediation practice and management of organisations working in Community Mediation, mainly in the field of neighbour disputes but also in other areas such as Workplace mediation, University Student Complaints mediation, Group mediation, National Health Service Complaints mediation, Mediation of complaints relating to disability provision and others such as Family conflict mediation.

Mediation, as we understand it, supports the empowerment of individuals to create more effective ways of dealing with their difficult situations.

If we make it a 'requirement' that those involved meet face-to-face in a meeting facilitated by us, before we say we can assist them, then we are at risk of failing in our aim of supporting empowerment, as we are implying that participants have to 'depend' on us to be able to resolve their dispute.

But of course there may be many other ways in which they would rather work their way through their dispute towards resolution, none of which may require our presence.

The CAOS Mediation Training Course trains mediators in an approach which acknowledges this.

Please note: Our Mediation Training Course does not involve Shuttle Mediation which we do not practise as an approach to mediation.

The trainers were extremely well organised and each day there was a careful balance of activities which progressively built on the previous session’s work. The sessions varied, but they were characterised by intensity, warmth and at times, a good deal of laughter. 

This was not an easy course; the challenges involved in working outside one’s usual mode of operation were considerable, but the upbeat attitude of the trainers and the calm and supportive atmosphere they created meant that I was free to work outside my comfort zone in developing an approach to assisting others deal with their own situations. 

In addition, I was also able to make discoveries about my own attitude to conflict. While my primary goal in undertaking this training was to gain the credentials to be a university mediator, the impact this training has had on other aspects of my professional and personal life have been huge. Conflict is inevitable, it is something we encounter regularly, if not every day. I have often wished I had better strategies for dealing with situations of conflict even when this conflict might be considered relatively minor. 

I highly recommend mediation training to anyone who wishes to gain an insight into conflict and ways of enabling individuals in situations of conflict find meaningful resolution for themselves. In the process, you might just find your own approaches to dealing with personal and professional conflict are re-evaluated and consequently enhanced. 

Dr Mary Richards - Vice-Dean for Education, Brunel University

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