Building mediation training capacity is an important and necessary step toward helping create a qualified cadre of mediators in a specific local context. For this reason, the planning and delivery of a training of trainers in mediation (ToT) is fundamental, conceived as an intensive work in order for the trainees to be able to deliver a basic course in mediations. The 5-day in class training is just a part of a more complex methodology in order to transfer the know-how to the new trainees.

In local contexts, as preliminary step it is important to set the criteria of the selection of the trainees of the ToT, with the assistance of the local experts and stakeholders representatives. This step is usually one of the key components of broader ADR international projects.

Ideally, the trainees should have already a good experience in:

training adults students and professionals (like lawyers and judges);
practice in mediation (be a mediator will be a great advantage).
ADR Center’s proposed approach is based on a fairly long preparation focused on the selection of participation, finalization of the agenda, pre-course entry testing and advance reading materials. Matter of fact, the agenda should be drafted around the level of preparation of the participants on their experience in training and in mediation.

In order to assist the trainer and the trainees, ADR Center will set-up the innovative ADR Center’s LMS Learning Management System (LMS) for the ToT class. It is a dedicated online learning system that ADR Center has developed to assist participants before, during and after the in-class training. Through this platform, ADR Center will be able to deliver the pre-course assessment test of participants, share some materials and video and hold some preliminary webinars.

At the end of the course each participant will receive a Train the Trainers Manual.