The Dispute Resolution Office provides an operating grant to and has a representative on the board of the British Columbia
Dispute Resolution Practicum Society, a non-profit organization that oversees the Court
Mediation Program. The Court Mediation Program ("CMP") provides an opportunity for trained but inexperienced mediators
to practice mediation skills in a high quality practicum environment.
Participants in the program take part in 10 Small Claims Court mediations of approximately 2 hours each. Practicum mediations are scheduled in the mediation registries as listed in Rule 7.2.[PDF] These mediations are supervised by senior mediator mentors who assist the mediators to prepare for and conduct each mediation, and provide feedback following each mediation. Applications for the Practicum are accepted on an ongoing basis. The Court Mediation Program has proved to be an effective means to assist small claims litigants to reach early resolution of their disputes. In doing so, it is relieving the court of some of its burden freeing up resources to address other cases more quickly. At the same time, the Program provides a unique and valuable training opportunity for mediators. Graduates of the Program are eligible to apply to the Provincial Court (Civil) Mediation Program. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to gain further mediation experience by mediating small claims cases for an honorarium. |
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