HARVARD MEDIATION PROGRAM

For Community Members

As a student-led organization at Harvard Law School, HMP’s principle focus is on providing training and service opportunities for HLS students. However, each semester HMP also seeks to train Boston-area community members (including students at schools other than HLS) who can commit to serving as volunteer mediators and mentors over the course of multiple semesters after they have completed training. In recruiting community members, HMP prioritizes applicants who have NOT previously had mediation training. Please see below for a series of “Frequently Asked Questions” regarding the opportunity for community members to train with HMP. Additional questions can be referred to HMP’s Recruiting Directors at hmprecruitingdirectors@gmail.com

CAN I APPLY FOR MEDIATION TRAINING?

If you can commit to at least two semesters of service as a volunteer mediator – which typically requires attendance at eight mediations or court sessions over the course of multiple months after you’ve completed training – then you are eligible to apply for training. This generally means you must live in the Boston metro area and have an ability to attend in-person court sessions. It also means you should have an interest in continuing to contribute to a community of learning over an extended period, as you begin by working with more experienced mediators, and later start to share your learning with newly-trained mediators.

Please note that HMP charges a training fee of $600 to community members who are accepted into the program in order to cover some costs. A reduced fee of $300 is available to those community members who provide documentation that they are full-time students at an accredited educational institution.

AM I GUARANTEED AN INTERVIEW IF I APPLY?

While HMP Recruiting Directors endeavor to interview each applicant, it is not always possible to do so. HMP generally does NOT pursue interviews with applicants who live outside the Boston metro area or those who have already completed a substantially similar course of mediation training.

HOW MANY APPLICANTS DOES HMP ACCEPT INTO A TRAINING CLASS?

Typically 24 applicants are accepted per training class. On average, approximately four community members are accepted per class.

CAN I RE-APPLY FOR TRAINING IF I’M NOT ACCEPTED THIS SEMESTER?

Absolutely!

ARE THERE OTHER  OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN MEDIATION AT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL?

Yes! The Program on Negotiation (PON) offers workshops in mediation and negotiation through their Harvard Negotiation Institute. PON also offers weekly semester-long seminars on mediation and negotiation, and regularly sponsors speaker events. PON is a wonderful resource for community members who already have mediation training and experience.

WHERE ELSE CAN I GET HANDS-ON MEDIATION TRAINING?

Fortunately for those wishing to learn mediation skills, programs abound throughout the country. The Association for Conflict Resolution, and the National Association for Community Mediation may help you locate a training program in your area that is best-suited to your interests.