Become a Professional Mediator
We provide mediation training courses to enable you to become a family mediator, community mediator or a civil and commercial mediator.
Our courses are recognised by the Family Mediation Council, Family Mediation Standards Board and the College of Mediators
About us
LBA was established in 2001 and is both a thriving mediation practice and a training organisation. Over the past twenty years Lorraine has created a talented, well trained and experienced team. They come from a wide range of professional backgrounds and are professional practice consultants, practice managers and teachers as well as practising mediators.
We provide opportunities for trainee mediators to experience real mediation in a safe environment. This enables us to use and understand best practice in mediation as well as design and deliver training that puts theory and skills in a practical context. Our enthusiasm for the latest approaches and ideas led us to create the Excellence programme, which is designed to support anyone who needs to use mediation skills throughout their career. The Excellence programme can help you to review your own performance, keep up to date and, eventually, pass your learning on to others if you want to as a professional practice consultant, mediation mentor or trainer.
LBA is committed to promoting higher standards within the mediation profession. Our Training courses are recognised as amongst the best on offer and we are constantly working to improve them. We also contribute to work on the development and promotion of standards within the mediation profession through our involvement in the College of Mediators, the Professional Standards Committee, specialist working and regional groups, articles and speaking at conferences. Lorraine led the College of Mediators for a number of years and is an assessor for the Family Mediation Council Accreditation scheme.
What makes the LBA Excellence programme different?
The LBA Excellence programme was the very first modular Mediation Foundation Training course, designed as part of a fresh approach to mediation training courses. It is designed to give participants a firm grounding in the fundamentals of mediation skills and processes before applying those to their chosen specialist area of dispute resolution.
Our mediation training courses lead to a recognised mediation qualification in your chosen area of mediation, while also enabling mediators to progress by enrolling on further modules specialising in other areas of mediation at a later date to broaden their areas of expertise over time on a wider range of disputes.
The programme also enables mediators who have already trained in one area of mediation to convert to another area of mediation without having to go back to basics each time.
Our new course is designed around a weekly commitment of around 10 hours a week. This comprises of two 3-hour sessions of online live classes, private study and homework plus regular mediation practice sessions. When restrictions allow the practice sessions will be “in person”, socially distanced and arranged to minimise risk and disruption.
You have a choice of three training levels to achieve a standard appropriate for the type of mediation work you wish to do. Each course builds on the previous level giving you maximum flexibility to train at the pace and to the level you wish.
| Course level | Who is it for? | Course length and award |
| Essentials | If you would like to find out more about mediation and learn key conflict resolution skills this is the course for you. It is ideal for those who deal with conflict in their everyday work and for those who are considering a career in mediation. | 2 weeks
This course is not assessed Awards: College of Mediators CPD course certificate of attendance and ability to join as an associate (non-practicing) member |
| Fundamentals of Dispute Resolution | If you want to practice as a professional mediator this course gives you the skills and knowledge to successfully enable people in dispute to find a way forward that feels fair and workable for them. This broad-based course gives you an insight into different types and styles of mediation used in a wide range of situations including community, neighbour, commercial and family conflicts. | 4 weeks (including the Essentials sessions)
This course is assessed Awards: successful completion of both course and assessment leads to a College of Mediators recognised Community and Workplace Mediation qualification and ability to join the College of Mediators as a practicing mediator. |
| Family Mediator Specialism | If you want to practice as a professional family mediator, this is one of only a handful of courses which has recognition from both the College of Mediators and the Family Mediation Council.
FMC recognition is essential for those intending to offer family mediation to those who are separating or divorcing and likely to be using the family court. It is also essential for those who may wish to offer legally aided family mediation. |
10 weeks (including the Essentials and Fundamentals sessions)
This course is assessed Awards: Successful completion of course and assessment leads to ability to register with the Family Mediation Council as a trained family mediator and to join the College of Mediators as a practicing mediator for family, workplace and community matters. |
Course Levels
Essentials
If you would like to find out more about mediation and learn key conflict resolution skills this is the course for you. It is ideal for those who deal with conflict in their everyday work and for those who are considering a career in mediation.
Total course duration: 2 weeks
The course is not assessed
Awards: College of Mediators CPD course certificate of attendance and ability to join as an associate (non-practicing) member
Fundamentals of Dispute Resolution
If you want to practice as a professional mediator this course gives you the skills and knowledge to successfully enable people in dispute to find a way forward that feels fair and workable for them. This broad-based course gives you an insight into different types and styles of mediation used in a wide range of situations including community, neighbour, commercial and family conflicts.
Total course duration: 4 weeks (including the Essentials sessions)
The course is assessed
Awards: successful completion of both course and assessment leads to a College of Mediators recognised Community and Workplace Mediation qualification and ability to join the College of Mediators as a practicing mediator.
Family Mediator Specialism
If you want to practice as a professional family mediator, this is one of only a handful of courses which has recognition from both the College of Mediators and the Family Mediation Council.
FMC recognition is essential for those intending to offer family mediation to those who are separating or divorcing and likely to be using the family court. It is also essential for those who may wish to offer legally aided family mediation.
Total course duration: 10 weeks (including the Essentials and Fundamentals sessions)
The course is assessed
Awards: Successful completion of course and assessment leads to ability to register with the Family Mediation Council as a trained family mediator and to join the College of Mediators as a practicing mediator for family, workplace and community matters.
Responding to the Pandemic
The outbreak of COVID-19 Coronavirus has forced a rapid and unexpected transformation on the mediation industry. Mediators, long used to meeting clients face to face, have suddenly had to grapple with the challenges posed by lock down restrictions and adopt remote methods of working. This sea change in mediation provision has highlighted the need for mediators to be trained to run online mediation in a safe and professional manner in addition to traditional mediation skills.
Since the beginning of the 1st lockdown, we have been working behind the scenes to try and mitigate the effects of the crisis on experienced mediators and clients. New and trainee mediators are vital for the future of the industry so we produced an entirely restructured course, which was the first Foundation Training Course to incorporate training both in traditional “in-person” mediation skills and in the skills required for mediating online. The course is designed to be run as a combined online and in person course with the ability to move entirely online should COVID circumstances require it. The course has been a huge success and has proved very popular with mediation trainees .
The course is a combination of:
- Live interactive online training sessions
- Demonstration videos
- Theoretical knowledge
- Regular mediation skills practice sessions delivered both in person and online.
What our trainees say about online training:
“Surprised how good it has been – in a good way !”
“I really enjoyed Zoom as a way of taking the course. The level of teaching and interaction on Zoom is as effective as if it was delivered in person.”
“….. a very efficient cost effective way to deliver this type of course and information without any loss of quality” .
The online sessions can be done from the comfort of your own home, and the regular face to face skills days will be offered either on a national or regional basis to minimise the need to travel at peak times and to avoid overnight stays away from home. We hope that in using this approach, we will introduce enough flexibility to minimise disruption to the course in the event of any regional lockdowns.
Course dates and duration
These are the dates for our first 2021 course. Due to the COVID restrictions currently expected to be in force, we are planning to run our Fundamentals of Dispute Resolution and Family Specialism courses via 3 hour online sessions:
| Essential Dispute Resolution Skills | |
|---|---|
| Session 1 – 19th April Session 2 – 20th April Session 3 * – 23rd April |
Session 4 – 26th April Session 5 – 27th April Session 6 – 30th April |
| Fundamentals of Dispute Resolution | |
|---|---|
| Session 7 – 10th May Session 8 * – 11th May Session 9 – 14th May Session 10 * – 17th May Session 11 – 18th May |
Session 12 – 21st May Session 13 * – 24th May Session 14 – 25th May Session 15 * – 28th May |
| Family Specialism | |
|---|---|
| Session 16 – 7th June Session L1 – 8th June Session 17 – 11th June Session 18 * – 14th June Session L2 – 15th June Session 19 – 18th June Session 20 – 21st June Session L3 – 22nd June Session 21 * – 25th June |
Session 22 – 28th June Session 23 – 29th June Session 24 * – 2nd July Session 25 – 5th July Session L4 – 6th July Session 26 * – 9th July Session 27 * – 12th July Session 28 – 13th July Session 29 * – 16th July |
Should COVID restrictions allow, the sessions marked with a * will be run as in person sessions in line with any government safety guidance at the time. If it is not safe to run these sessions in person, they will be conducted online.
If you would like to find out more, please email us at enquiries@bestwayforward.training or you can now Apply Online!
Course Fees
Course fees are:
Essentials only (2 weeks): £680 (£200 deposit)
Essentials and Fundamentals (4 weeks): £1,280 (£500 deposit)
Full Specialism (10 weeks): £2,280. (£500 deposit)
Please note that there are additional requirements for entry and post training in Family Mediation, for more information ask for our 2021 Mediation Foundation pack.
When booking on our courses, you will need to pay a deposit to secure their place when they make their application. You can then pay the outstanding balance before the start of the course.
If you are booking onto the Fundamentals and Specialism course we can arrange payment by instalments, usually due before the start of each of the courses.
Successful completion of the complete Essentials, Fundamentals and Family Specialism Courses (including the introductory course) enables you to register with the Family Mediation Council, and as such allows you to progress as a professional Family Mediator. You are also able to register as a Trained Family Mediator with the College of Mediators. Successful completion up to the Fundamentals course alone enables you to register with the College of Mediators as a community and workplace mediator.
If you are interested in attending a course but would like to know more, please contact us on 01793 887227 or email enquiries@bestwayforward.com. Or just Apply Online!
Post Training Support
We believe that good mediation training is much more than just providing an initial course. We offer post course support services including mentoring and professional practice consultancy to those looking to start up their own practice and work towards higher accredited status such as the FMCA. We will also try to help you find a mediation practice placement and keep you informed of regular work, training and networking and support opportunities. Please ask for a Training Pack to find out more.
Specialism Courses
These courses typically follow directly on from the Fundamentals Courses. They are for those who have completed the Fundamentals Course and wish to specialise in a specific area of mediation and be able to join national registers such as the College of Mediators and the Family Mediation Council as a Trained Mediator in that area. These courses can in some cases, also be accessed by trained mediators (i.e. those who already hold qualifications which would enable them to join the College of Mediators at least at Trained Mediator level), for example a community mediator who would like to offer Civil & Commercial mediation.
Contact us on 01793 887227 or email enquiries@bestwayforward.com to find out more.
Contact us to find out more
If you would like to discuss a potential career as a mediator or you are an organisation seeking training in mediation skills to compliment the current skills of your team, or for any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01793 887227 or at enquiries@bestwayforward.training.