Mediation Skills for Housing Professionals

Learn to resolve neighbourhood disputes, tenancy conflicts, and low-level ASB cases.

This two-day course is intended for groups working in housing associations, local authorities, or charities, whose role involves repairing or improving relationships in a neighbourhood setting.

Mediation Skills for Housing Professionals equips you to be able to address neighbourhood conflict at an early and informal level, ensuring that situations do not escalate to the point of requiring formal intervention. The course also provides the time required to explore each stage of our tried and tested mediation model, and the opportunity to build up your confidence and competence by practising your mediation skills on some case simulations throughout the two days.

About the course

The aim of this two-day course is to get you to the point of being confident and competent to facilitate resolution conversations between neighbours, or between landlords and tenants.

At the conclusion of the course, you will be able to:

Understand how mediation compares with other methods of resolution
What mediation skills can and can’t do, and the sorts of situations it would be beneficial for. Why confidentiality and impartiality are important.
Understand how neighbourhood/tenancy conflict starts and how it develops
The signs and symptoms of conflict and the importance of early intervention. Dealing with resistance and getting buy-in to the resolution process.
Use a stage-by-stage model for the resolution of neighbourhood and tenancy conflict
Exploring UK Mediation’s relational model, re:talk. Encouraging people in and then setting up and running a facilitated resolution process.
Set up and run a facilitated resolution meeting between neighbours
Getting people to meet and to have a productive conversation. Managing disruptive behaviour and keeping the discussion on-track.
Understand the skills required for effective conflict resolution
Learning some key mediation skills, including reframing and active listening. Having a go at one of our specially-chosen workplace case examples.
Build agreements between colleagues who are in conflict
Creating options for a mutually-beneficial resolution of conflict. Creating an environment that allows parties to come up with their own resolutions.

Mediation Skills for Housing Professionals covers everything you need to be able to facilitate resolution meetings between neighbours, or between landlords and tenants.

This includes:

Some key mediation skills and principles
Applying mediation skills in a step-by-step process
Confidentiality and impartiality when working face-to-face or online
How to get a good resolution without directing or imposing
How to ensure that your facilitated conversations are safe and effective

Our trainers have a wealth of practical mediation experience and are able to adapt the course content to the make-up of the particular group.

All of our courses are live interactive events run by a practising mediator who is an expert in the field.

This course includes a combination of:

Custom-made video clips
Lecture and live discussion
Group exercises

Practice sessions with simulated case material
Real-life case studies

The course is delivered face-to-face at your location, or online via Zoom or Teams, where we can use custom-made video material, run small-group exercises, and take part in some case simulations.

What our learners say

"The course was a perfect mix of learning, watching, role play, practising and plenty of flexibility to allow for questions (not forgetting the laughter!)"

Iona Robertson TPAS Cymru

"Each day involved a good amount of listening and interaction, and you had plenty of time to practice. The trainer was very engaging and made the course really interesting."

Anna Meintjes Moat

"The trainer demonstrated their wealth of experience in the field with a variety of interactive and material work. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and have learned new skills and techniques which will be very beneficial in dealing with my day-to-day interactions with our tenants."

Gareth Jones Adra

"Fantastic course - the group were engaged and enthusiastic from the start! As well as being able to set up an immediate mediation process, I feel that the skills we have learned can be used in day-to-day work and change our approach for the better."

Victoria Seales Flagship Group

"An excellent introduction to mediation, highlighting the difference between mediation and enforcement and showing that disputants can come up with their own solutions. The training has been very relevant, eye opening and informative."

Amanda Durber Staffs Housing

"I thoroughly enjoyed the training, which was very useful and gave opportunities to role play and be reflective - thought-provoking stuff! The skills gained will definitely help and develop my daily role."

Sara Broome Rochdale Boroughwide Housing

"Good course structure and really well executed. Great to have such an informative and perceptive trainer."

Leigh-Anne Rogers Solihull Community Housing

"The trainer was very relaxed, welcoming, and non-judgmental. I feel that we have learnt some valuable skills and tweaks that will be useful when having conversations with our tenants."

Rebecca Bradley Great Yarmouth Borough Council

"My overall experience was very positive; the trainer was clear, knowledgeable, and encouraged everyone to step out of their comfort zones to try new skills and techniques. I would definitely recommend this course for anyone working in this sector."

Celeste Walburg Pembrokeshire County Council

"I felt that the course was really well presented. There was a good use of role play and practical exercises, and the process was clearly explained and defined in stages."

Evan Hughes Sandwell Borough Council

"A brilliant course with a great trainer who kept it interesting and upbeat."

Francesca Hall Erewash Borough Council

"An extremely enjoyable course that was pitched at just the right level. I have learned a lot which will prove valuable in my volunteer role."

Susie Blake Office of the Durham Police & Crime Commissioner

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Course FAQs

We understand that you may have some queries about the course’s content or about how the training is delivered.

We’ve gathered together some of the most Frequently Asked Questions and have answered them below.

Who should attend this course?

This two-day course would be suitable for those who work in the housing sector, including housing managers, ASB officers, tenancy workers, neighbourhood managers, and customer liaison staff.

No previous experience with conflict resolution is required in order to attend.

Will I be a mediator after doing this course?

No, we are careful to distinguish our shorter courses from our accredited mediator programmes.

What we say is that this course will you how to facilitate resolution meetings with neighbours in dispute, but you won’t be a Mediator. To gain full accreditation, you would need our Interpersonal Mediation Practitioner’s Certificate course.