Mentor’s Pre-Mediation Checklist
The mentor should determine who would assume responsibility for the following tasks;
- Introduce party and mediator(s)
- Explain mediation
- Review agreement to mediate form
- Conduct screening
- Determine if case is appropriate for mediation
- Ground rules
- Lead story telling and issue identification
- Lead problem solving
- Lead agreement writing
The mentor should discuss the following;
- Unique ground rules or practices
- Transitioning from one person to the other and changing strategies during the mediation
- Method for addressing concerns by either mentor or mentee without causing undue disruption
- Procedure to be used to call a caucus
- How responsibilities will be shared during the session so that both mediators obtain “voice legitimacy”
- How to achieve balanced involvement in the mediation
- How to work in the same direction and keep each other on track
- Differences in style or approach
The mentor should confirm the mentee’s availability to remain after the session to de-brief for 20 to 40 minutes. Where the de-briefing does not take place immediately following the mediation, it should be rescheduled as soon as possible within one week .
The mentee should;
- Arrive at least one hour before the mediation is scheduled to occur
- Provide the mentor with a blank copy of each form to be completed
- Provide the mentor with a copy of each completed Mentor Portfolio form prior to the mediation and discuss expectations for the current mediation
- Complete “Section I: Skill Development Goals” of the Mentee Portfolio form in collaboration with the mentor prior to the mediation
- Inform the mentor if the Mentee Evaluation form is needed in less than one week.
Before the mediation, the mentee and mentor should discuss;
- The areas in which the mentee wants experience and feedback
- The nature of the case and types of issues the case may deal with, according to information in the case file
- The portions of the mediation for which each will take responsibility
- Any unique ground rules or practices
- Transitioning from one person to the other and changing strategies during the mediation
- Methods for addressing concerns by either mentor or mentee without causing undue disruption
- The procedure to be used to call a caucus
- How responsibilities will be shared during the first session so that both mediators obtain “voice legitimacy” early in the first session
- How the mentee and mentor will achieve balanced involvement in the mediation
- A strategy for how to work in the same direction and keep each other on track
- Differences in style and approach
- Whether the mentee needs to serve as a drafter of the mediated agreements if agreement is reached.
