Criteria for Mediation Advocacy QAPs

These Guidelines are designed to assist organizations to prepare the information needed by the IMI Appraisal Committee to evaluate applications for Mediation Advocacy Qualifying Assessment Programs (MA-QAPs) .  Note that the term “Mediation Advocacy” (“MA”) has been used throughout these Criteria for ease of reference (see section 3 of the MA criteria, for specific guidance on the appropriate use of the designations “Mediation Advocate” and “Mediation Advisor”).

Organizations with MA-QAPs approved by the Appraisal Committee are able to qualify candidates for IMI Mediation Advocacy Certification, pursuant to their Mediation Advocacy Qualifying Assessment Programs.  They may use the IMI Mediation Advocacy Qualifying Assessment Program logo.

Criteria

This procedure ensures that all IMI Certified Mediation Advocates/Advisors qualified by all MA-QAPs share a minimum high standard of mediation advocacy experience, knowledge and skills, and that the key Profile details of several mediation advocates/advisors can be readily compared by users to help them make an informed decision when selecting a Mediation Advocate/Advisor for their mediation. Applications to become a MA-QAP may now be completed online.

The following are the requirements for an MA-QAP to be approved by the ISC:

General Requirements

A. Methodology

All MA-QAPs must implement an assessment methodology for assessing experience, knowledge and skills of each applicant and ensuring that they meet the Substantive Criteria in Section 2.

B.   Transparency

The substantive criteria (i.e. assessment benchmarks applied by an approved MA-QAP) must be published and be openly accessible on the organization’s website. Comment: Details of all approved MA-QAPs will be listed on the IMI web portal www.IMImediation.org and will include a direct link to each MA-QAP organization’s website for that program. 

C.   Integrity

Each Assessor must have substantial experience of mediation advocacy and/or teaching/assessing mediation advocacy competency.

D.   Ongoing Monitoring of Program

The MA-QAP must include a process for the ongoing monitoring of the performance and practice of the Assessors. IMI will liaise closely with all recognised program organizers to maintain a sustainable quality control system.

E.    Diversity

The MA-QAP must be accessible on an equal basis to applicants regardless of their professional affiliations, gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characterization. This should be clearly stated on each MA-QAP’s website.

Substantive Criteria

A.  Experience of the Mediation Process.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for ensuring that Applicants have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Program’s Assessors experience of mediation as a mediation advisor/advocate in at least five mediations.  The QAP must include clearly identified criteria on this requirement. Exemptions: IMI Certified Mediators Mediators having acted as sole mediator in at least 10 cases/200 hours  (in countries where there are no Qualifying Assessment Program for IMI Certification)

B. Knowledge of Mediation Advocacy.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for determining that Applicants have demonstrated a strong understanding of general mediation advocacy theory and practice.  Written tests, essays, reports, theses and interviews may be used to determine such knowledge.  Applicants are expected to be tested on and exhibit a comprehensive understanding of Mediation Advocacy theory derived from the leading international textbooks on the subject. MA-QAPs may use the listing of Core Competency Knowledge Elements set out in Annex 1.

C. Practical Mediation Advocacy Skills.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for the assessment of performance as a mediation advocate against a variety of benchmarks that together demonstrate a high degree of mediation advocacy competency.  The assessed benchmarks may be based on role-play or live action assessments, and may include videotaped and online assessments such as web dramas, self-assessments, interviews, peer reviews, user feedback and other in-practice skill evaluations. The ISC expects that the methodology used by MA-QAPs will address all the Core Competency Practical Skills sections and sub-sections in Annex 2 and will be sufficiently detailed (in the view of the ISC) to attest to an applicant’s demonstrated high level of competency as a Mediation Advocate.  However, it is not expected that all detailed Core Competency Practical Skills listed in Annex 2 will be assessed in the same depth, and MA-QAPs will be free to assess other practical skills not listed in Annex 2.

Guidance

General Requirements

A. Methodology

All MA-QAPs must implement an assessment methodology for assessing experience, knowledge and skills of each applicant and ensuring that they meet the Substantive Criteria in Section 2.

Comment: The assessments may be based on written material, role-play or live action evaluations, other suitable methods, or any combination, and may include videotaped and online assessments such as web dramas, self-assessments, interviews, peer reviews, user feedback and other in-practice skill evaluations.  Assessors must be experienced in representing clients in mediations and/or teaching/assessing mediation advocacy skills.

B.   Transparency

The substantive criteria (i.e. assessment benchmarks applied by an approved MA-QAP) must be published and be openly accessible on the organization’s website.

Comment: Details of all approved MA-QAPs will be listed on the IMI web portal www.IMImediation.org and will include a direct link to each MA-QAP organization’s website for that program. 

Are your MA-QAP’s benchmarks and criteria published and openly accessible on your organization’s website, or will that be the case?

If Yes, please indicate the link.           

If No, please explain why not and indicate whether you intend to make it published and the timeframe.

C.   Integrity

Each Assessor must have substantial experience of mediation advocacy and/or teaching/assessing mediation advocacy competency.

What criteria are applied in appointing your MA-QAP’s Assessors?

Are the MAQAP’s Assessors, or any of them, required to be independent of (a) your organization and (b) the training Faculty?

            If Yes, please explain how independence is determined.

            If No, please explain the Assessors’ relationship with your organization.

D.   Ongoing Monitoring of Program

The MA-QAP must include a process for the ongoing monitoring of the performance and practice of the Assessors. IMI will liaise closely with all recognised program organizers to maintain a sustainable quality control system.

Please explain how the performance of your MA-QAP’s Assessors are/will be monitored to ensure a consistent application of high quality standards. Please confirm your agreement to provide all necessary information and accept monitoring from IMI.

E.    Diversity

The MA-QAP must be accessible on an equal basis to applicants regardless of their professional affiliations, gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characterization. This should be clearly stated on each MA-QAP’s website.

Please explain how participation in your MAQAP is accessible on an equal basis to experienced mediation advocates/advisors regardless of their professional affiliations, gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characterization.
 

Substantive Criteria

A.  Experience of the Mediation Process.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for ensuring that Applicants have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Program’s Assessors experience of mediation as a mediation advisor/advocate in at least five mediations.  The QAP must include clearly identified criteria on this requirement.

Exemptions:

IMI Certified Mediators
Mediators having acted as sole mediator in at least 10 cases/200 hours  (in countries where there are no Qualifying Assessment Program for IMI Certification)

Please explain your organization’s methodology and criteria for determining that Applicants for the program have a substantial level of experience of the mediation process.

B. Knowledge of Mediation Advocacy.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for determining that Applicants have demonstrated a strong understanding of general mediation advocacy theory and practice.  Written tests, essays, reports, theses and interviews may be used to determine such knowledge.  Applicants are expected to be tested on and exhibit a comprehensive understanding of Mediation Advocacy theory derived from the leading international textbooks on the subject. MA-QAPs may use the listing of Core Competency Knowledge Elements set out in Annex 1.

Please explain your organization’s methodology and criteria for determining that Applicants have demonstrated a strong understanding of general mediation advocacy theory and practice.

C. Practical Mediation Advocacy Skills.

The MA-QAP must include a methodology for the assessment of performance as a mediation advocate against a variety of benchmarks that together demonstrate a high degree of mediation advocacy competency.  The assessed benchmarks may be based on role-play or live action assessments, and may include videotaped and online assessments such as web dramas, self-assessments, interviews, peer reviews, user feedback and other in-practice skill evaluations. The ISC expects that the methodology used by MA-QAPs will address all the Core Competency Practical Skills sections and sub-sections in Annex 2 and will be sufficiently detailed (in the view of the ISC) to attest to an applicant’s demonstrated high level of competency as a Mediation Advocate.  However, it is not expected that all detailed Core Competency Practical Skills listed in Annex 2 will be assessed in the same depth, and MA-QAPs will be free to assess other practical skills not listed in Annex 2.

Please explain here, or attach, your organization’s methodology and criteria for the evaluation of candidates’ performance in terms of the occurrence and effectiveness of mediation advocacy process and mediation advocacy techniques, against high competency benchmarks.

Notes

Organizations with MA-QAPs approved by the Independent Standards Commission are able to qualify candidates for IMI Mediation Advocacy Certification, pursuant to their Mediation Advocacy Qualifying Assessment Programs.

Once a Mediation Advocate/Advisor is qualified for IMI Certification by an MA-QAP, a blank profile is enabled on the IMI Portal and the Mediation Advocate/Advisor is invited to log in and complete the IMI Profile.

There are optional and required parts (indicated by *) in the Profile. One of the required sections is the Feedback Digest, which is a summary of user feedback, prepared by a Reviewer appointed by the Mediation Advocate/Advisor. Only the Reviewer has access to this section to upload the Feedback Digest directly onto the Mediation Advocate/Advisor’s IMI Profile, using a separate login.

The organization holding the MAQAP that qualifies the Mediation Advocates/Advisors for IMI Certification may also be their Reviewer.

Mediation Advocates/Advisors become “IMI Certified” only when IMI checks that the Profile has been completed in line with the guidelines, and once the Feedback Digest has been uploaded by the Reviewer onto the Profile. Then, their profiles may be included in the publicly viewable IMI Mediation Advocacy Search Engine and they may use the IMI Certified Mediation Advocate/Advisor Logo.

For MA Competency Criteria, please see:

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