Contract type: A permanent contract with 6 months’ probation period.

Hours: to be discussed, but up to 35 hours a week.

Salary: £19,215 to £26,900 (pro-rata)

General information

Community Accord is an expert Mediation and Disagreement resolution service based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. We provide a service to Local Authorities, Housing Associations, employers, and private clients nationally.

Our areas of expertise are Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Family Mediations, Neighbourhood, Workplace and Complaints Mediations.

We are also an accredited Mediation training provider in the public and private sectors.

In this first instance, this would be for 25-35 hours per week, split over 4 or 5 days, and the work would include SEN and/or neighbourhood Mediation, and any other occasional work that arises from time-to-time, such as workplace Mediation. Community Accord have, on occasion, delivered training programmes and a willingness to deliver training from time-to-time would be desirable.

We practice facilitative, interest-based Mediation. All of Community Accord’s lead mediators either hold or are working towards the Certa Qualification in Mediation Skills, and are affiliated to the UK College of Mediators. We function as a cooperative. Our mediators work closely as a team while maintaining a significant degree of autonomy in the handling of their cases. 

The successful applicant will therefore become part of a small but dynamic and growing team. Your voice would have equal weight as part of our internal structure, and you would have a significant role in shaping a small service with aspirations to grow.

Description of role

Taking responsibility for advancing casework, the needs of the business and your own skills by:

• Receiving party referrals and collaborating empathically with them by telephone to determine their needs and interests and develop understandings and reach solutions where appropriate.
• If appropriate, secure parties’ commitment to a joint session.
• Regular reporting to referring agencies/individual referrers as to case progress.
• Updating the database with progress of cases, and completing all necessary administration associated with casework.
• Delivery of Mediation session and production of any Agreement reached
• As necessary, to participate in the delivery of training.
• Engaging in continuous professional development.
• Participation in monthly team meetings and other ad-hoc meetings as required

Mediation Sessions are presently being undertaken both virtually and face to face and the mediator will be expected to travel where necessary, mileage costs will be reimbursed according to company policy. 

Person specification

Essential:

• Fully trained, having undergone accredited, comprehensive SEN Mediation training (interest-based).
• Qualified to Certa in Community Mediation Skills (or equivalent).
• Minimum one year’s experience in SEN Mediation casework and delivering mediation sessions. 
• Knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice 0-25 years and relevant legislation.
• To be able to confidently conduct Mediation sessions, often working independently without a co-mediator.
• Commitment to working in an impartial, non-judgmental, and confidential manner.
• Confident on the telephone.
• Able to manage a high turnover of cases independently.
• Valuing an empathetic approach to parties.
• Willingness to travel to areas of work, as necessary.
• Commitment to co-operative ethos of company.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.
• Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately – written and orally.
• Commitment to a high quality of service.
• IT skills, especially Microsoft Office suite.
• Willingness to undertake a disclosure (criminal records check) with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
• Willingness to undergo Safeguarding / Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection training as required.
• To affiliate to a professional body (UK College of Mediators / Civil Mediation Society) and work within the CPD structure.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the ‘Intermediate’ database