This document provides a brief history of mediation and conflict resolution practices. It notes that negotiation, arbitration, and mediation have existed for as long as humans have in many ancient cultures. Mediation became more formalized with international treaties and diplomacy. The first school mediation programs began in the US in the 1960s and spread to other countries in subsequent decades. The document also distinguishes mediation from arbitration and discusses what types of conflicts are and are not appropriate for school peer mediation.

2. A little piece of history:
 Negotiation, arbitration and mediation are as old as
human being.
 Despite what the movies show us, many ancient cultures all
over the world settled arguments by peaceful persuasion rather
than by sword.
 Ancient villages had at least one leader who was skilled at
helping people solve problems (wise men, elders, intercessors,
conciliators …)
 It has been and it still is a traditional form of conflict resolution
in some parts of Asia and Africa
 Mediation really came into play with the advent of international
treaties. History of mediation was the history of diplomacy.

3.  First school mediation programmes were born in the USA
in the 60’ linked to peace and justice education . (The
Teaching Students to be Peacemakers initiative was the
first Peer Mediation program. )
 This conflict-solving philosophy moved to Canada, New
Zealand and UK in the 70’ and 80’.
 The first school peer mediation programmes began to
develop in the 90’ in Europe (1992 in UK, 1993 in Spain).

4.  In the Balearic Islands, the ICEE started
to work on school mediation in 2007
based on Carmen Boqué programmes.
 Schools staff training programmes started in 2008:
 2008-2009: 6 secondary schools
 2009-2010: 9 secondary schools
 2010-2011: 10 secondary schools + 1 primary school
 2011-2012: 6 secondary schools + 3 primary schools
 Social Services have been using different informal
mediation practices for a long time. They started using
formal mediation in 2007 with family and community
conflicts.

5. What is the difference between
mediation and arbitration?
• Arbitration involves decision  Mediation is a process of
making by a person who hears communication in which
both sides and makes a decision persons with a dispute,
about the disposition or assisted by a mediator, reach
resolution of the dispute. an agreement, understanding,
or reconciliation.
 The mediator is a neutral
•The arbitrator is a decision-
facilitator
maker.
 Disputants will make their
•Disputants may or may not own decision so they feel
agree/be bound by that decision. compelled to honour their
commitments.

6. What do Mediation and Circles
have in common?
 Identical aims:
 Solve conflicts
 Build community (dialogue culture)
 Allow participants to solve their conflicts
by their own.
 Allow participants to express their thoughts, feelings
and needs
 Invite parties to formulate their own solutions and take
responsibilities for their actions

7.  Can prevent conflicts and misunderstandings from
becoming protracted and destructive disputes.
 Improve basic competences such as:
 communication skills
 social and emotional learning
 critical thinking
 empathy
 But also:
 self-esteem
 self-responsibility
 sense of belonging

8.  Encourage future co-operation
 Voluntary, positive and fair process
 Confidentiality
 Structured, goal directed process that follows clear steps
 Can be applied across school community

9.  Ideal process to integrate into whole school
community policies and procedures
 Participants usually sit in circle
 There are facilitators (peer mediators)
 Facilitators and Mediators need a
previous training

10. Differences:
 Persons in conflict are disputants:
 no wrongdoers
 no victims
 Only disputants and mediators
participate in the process
 No shame, no guilt
 Win/win solutions.
 Mediation may not be useful for all conflicts-solving.

11.  Things that can be mediated at school:
 Relationship difficulties, arguments, disputes,
 Rumour and gossip,
 Being left out,
 Name calling,
 Friends falling out,
 Feeling something isn’t fair,
 People feel others are picking or teasing on them.
 Racial or cultural confrontation

12.  It is commonly accepted that school peer
mediators should not deal with:
 Family matters,
 Breaking the law, school rules or property,
 Violent actions,
 Theft,
 Drugs,
 Abuse
 Bullying
 “anything to do with teeth, skin and hair”–Tyrell, 2002-

13. Take-home messages
The goal is to have winners instead of losers.
Remember, we’re not looking for who’s
right or wrong...
WE’RE LOOKING FOR AN AGREEMENT!