Sponsored by the Association for Conflict Resolution Hawaii Chapter and completed June 2, 2012, the pilot project Virtual Mediation Lab has demonstrated how mediators around the world can practice and improve their mediation skills by participating – with other mediators – in online mediation simulations with Skype.

The know-how acquired during 50 VML simulations run with 62 mediators from 22 countries can now be shared with mediation centers in the USA and later around the world. During a 3-day hands-on training, their staff can learn how to set up, manage, run and video record online mediation simulations – as shown on our website http://goo.gl/dnc0Y

The first mediation center to receive the above training is the Mediation Center of the Pacific. Located in Honolulu, Hawaii and established in 1979, MCP is one of the oldest community dispute resolution centers in the United States - http://goo.gl/bBzuW

According to the Exit Surveys of mediators who participated in the VML pilot project, the benefits of online mediation simulations can be summarized as follows.

>> Mediators can practice with other mediators the skills and techniques learned during their basic or advanced mediation training.
>> During the debrief session, mediators can find out immediately whether (from the parties’ perspective) their mediation strategy and techniques worked well or not-so-well – and why.
>> Mediators can observe other mediators mediating the same case adopting different methods
>> Mediators can test and experiment with new techniques in a safe environment, without being afraid of making mistakes.
>> They discover how online mediation works; how easily it can be integrated with face-to-face mediation; and how it can open up new market opportunities.