“The training was enlightening and raised personal awareness and sensitivity to the complexities of what people in the community face. It trained me to hear what is really being said and how to provide the skills and a roadmap to empower individuals dealing with conflict. It is personally gratifying to be able to help clients “look forward” and navigate to a solution. In my work, it has helped me be more strategic and less judgmental.”
-Mediation Training Client
FairField Center offers training for individuals seeking Virginia Supreme Court certification to mediate court cases. Trainees take short courses (4-20 hours each) and engage in observations and co-mediations in order to apply for Virginia Mediation Certification. Trainees must have a bachelor’s degree or obtain a waiver with evidence of relevant work and life experience. FairField Center ensures that trainers and training classes for certification are approved by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Mediators come from all walks of life – lawyers, human resource managers, teachers, counselors, financial planners, retirees, and others. Basic mediation training involves strengthening interpersonal skills such as active listening, negotiation, paraphrasing, and conflict resolution. These general skills are useful in any context, whether you are mediating between individuals in conflict, communicating ideas during a meeting, or having a family conversation. From there mediators can take additional mediation classes to work towards certification in Family (Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court level), Circuit Court Family and Circuit Court Civil.
These courses are certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia. However, please note that mere attendance at the trainings and participation in the mentorship does not guarantee successful completion for mediation certification purposes. All decisions related to mediator certification are made by the Office of the Executive Secretary at the Supreme Court of Virginia.
If you are interested in learning more about the mediation certification process, please contact Shannon Sneary Alabanza, FairField’s Director of Training, at +1 (540) 434-0059 ext. 2 or training@fairfieldcenter.org. Or visit Virginia’s Judicial System website for VA Mediation Certification Requirements.
2023 TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
All training is currently being done online.
* Indicates the course is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Basic Mediation Training * (ONLINE)
Are you interested in helping people in conflict learn to resolve their differences? Do you want to learn about basic conflict styles and communication skills to work with people in conflict? Discover the basic principles of negotiation and conflict resolution and the mediation process. Role plays and practice activities applicable to real life situations will be used to put theory into practice in this course.
This course is the first step towards certification as a mediator in Virginia and is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
When: (click link to register)
January 23-27, 2023 (ONLINE)
March 27-31, 2023 (ONLINE)
June 12-16, 2023 (ONLINE)
WEEKEND BASIC MEDIATION TRAINING COURSE OPTION
March 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 2023 (ONLINE)
Instructors: Shannon Sneary Alabanza, Director of Training, FairField Center (Certified mediator for 18+ years)
Cost: $690 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Virginia Judicial System *(ONLINE)
This course provides an overview of the Virginia Judicial System. Both jurisdictional issues as well as procedural issues will be discussed, especially how these issues relate to mediation at each level of court. This is a required course for mediation certification at any level in Virginia, but may be waived by DRS for members in good standing with the Virginia Bar.
This course is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
When: (click link to register)
February 24, 2023 (ONLINE)
April 21, 2023 (ONLINE)
Suggested Prerequisite Training: Basic Mediation Training
Cost: $138 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Family Mediation Training * (ONLINE)
Are you ready to expand your mediation skills to include family situations? Are you interested in helping separating couples as they make parenting decisions such as custody, visitation, and child support? This informative, skill building training will include practice role plays, ethical dilemmas, and child support calculations based on real life situations which will prepare mediators to mediate at the Juvenile and Domestic Court level.
This course is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Prerequisite: Basic Mediation Training
When: (click link to register)
February 13-17, 2023 (ONLINE)
May 8-12, 2023 (ONLINE)
Instructors: Shannon Sneary Alabanza, Director of Training, FairField Center (Certified mediator for 18+ years)
Cost: $690 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Domestic Abuse and Mediation *(ONLINE)
Gain understanding of the scope of domestic abuse and how it relates to mediation. Learn to identify potential domestic abuse in mediation clients. Discover potential safety issues for clients and mediators and skills to mitigate these issues. Instructor will provide screening tools and participants will learn how to implement these tools for initial and ongoing screening of cases. This course is required for mediation certification at the JDR/Family court level in Virginia.
This course is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
When: (click link to register)
March 16 & 17, 2023 (ONLINE)
Cost: $276 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Circuit Court Civil Mediation Training *(ONLINE)
This is an advanced workshop emphasizing the more complex civil disputes and issues at the Circuit Court level which involve working with attorneys, resource people, and multiple disputing parties. This workshop will focus on negotiation skills, advanced strategies and techniques, planning/preparation of and agreement writing.
This course is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Instructor: Shannon Sneary Alabanza, Director of Training, FairField Center (Certified mediator for 18+ years)
Prerequisite: Basic Mediation Training
Cost: : $690 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Circuit Court Family Mediation Training *(ONLINE)
This is an advanced workshop for family mediators focusing on equitable distribution, asset identification, retirement plans, insurance, and tax issues at the Circuit Court level. Developing advanced skills in facilitating decision-making, handling anger and strong emotions, use of separate meetings, and balancing power are also included.
This course is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
When: (click link to register)
March 6, 7, 8, 2023, 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm daily (ONLINE)
Instructor: Shannon Sneary Alabanza (Director of Training, FairField Center) with Marshall Yoder, attorney
Suggested Prerequisite Training: Basic & Family Mediation Training (J&DR)
Cost: $414 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Mediator Ethics (ONLINE)
An overall review of the Virginia Standards of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Certified Mediators in a fun and interactive format. After the review, participants will observe and make ethical applications of a role-played mediation session.
In “This or That” Mediator Ethics, mediators will have the opportunity to test their current knowledge of Virginia’s Standards of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Certified Mediators in a fun and interactive format. The training will include a “Stop and Go” role play where participants can apply this knowledge to a mediation scenario.
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Cost: $45 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
2 hours Mediator Ethics CME by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Observation Courses
General Observation
This course is an opportunity to observe two complete General District Court mediation sessions and debrief with the other participants and trainer.
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Cost: $195 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Family Observation Course
Observe Mentor mediators conduct role play sessions to satisfy the mentoring observation portion of training for JDR mediator certification.
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Cost: $195 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Continuing Mediator Education
The following classes have been approved for Continuing Mediator Education (CME) credit as listed below. If the class has not yet received approval, that will be noted as “pending approval.”
Conflict Resolution in the Context of Hate
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Cost: $45 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
1.5 CME (non-ethics) credit
Let’s Get Curious: Using Insight Theory in Mediation
Cost: $45 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
1.5 CME (non-ethics) credit
Retooling for Inclusion: Working with Clients with Traumatic Brain Injury
Cost: $45 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
1.5 CME (non-ethics) credit
The 5 W’s of Coaching Through Conflict
When: (click link to register)
Cost: $45 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
1.5 CME (non-ethics) credit
Group Facilitation Training
Meetings, teams, and committees are an important part of modern work and community environments. Learn ways to run effective and efficient meetings through proven facilitation and conflict resolutions skills and strategies that involve planning and preparation, group involvement, issue identification and collaborative decisions-making.
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Cost: $552 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
This course is approved for 16 hours of CME (continuing mediator education) credit.
FairField Continuing Education Bonanza
Save the Date for September 1 and September 27! We are planning two half-day CME Bonanza options, topics and times to be determined.
Cost: TBA
Prerequisite training: none
Instructors: TBA
Mediator Ethics “Game Show”
In this “Game Show” version of Mediator Ethics, mediators will have the opportunity to test their current knowledge of Virginia’s Standards of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Certified Mediators in a fun and interactive format. This training includes a “quiz show” element as well as other interactive activities to help mediators understand and relate to the ethical standards.
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Cost: $45 ( + registration fees collected by Eventbrite)
Mentoring Others Seeking Mediation Certification
Learn techniques for pre-mediation planning and post mediation feedback, as well as expectations for completion of the Mentee Evaluation form. Workshop completion is required for mediators seeking certification as a mentor.
This course is certified by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
When: (click link to register)
TBA
Instructor: Shannon Sneary Alabanza, Director of Training, FairField Center (Certified mediator for 18+ years).
Prerequisite training: Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Cost: $138 ($118 for local participants–See registration page for more details.)
Brown Bag Lunch & CME Opportunity
When: (click link to register)
Instructor: TBA
Prerequisite: none
Cost: $30
Mentoring Requirements
Each training has follow-up requirements for observations and co-mediations to provide time for trainee to observe process and practice new skills with a mentor or mediator.
When: To be arranged by Trainee and Mentor; +1 (540) 434-0059 or training@fairfieldcenter.org.
Cost: Observations, $75 each; Co-mediations, $90 each