The Mediation Service

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Video transcript

Rebecca: Hello, I am Rebecca Swarbrick, Project Officer of the Mediation Service and I’m going to introduce the Mediation Service and look at situations when it might be useful to you.

The Mediation Service provides space, time and support to people within the University community, to transform difficult relationships.  The mediation process aims to help participants engage in conversations that could be too problematic to hold constructively without a trained, impartial mediator. It is confidential and quite separate from other university processes. We work with groups and with people experiencing one to one conflict.

There are 27 mediators throughout the University. They are a diverse group including 19 PG students. All have completed training accredited by Scottish Mediation and adhere to their code of practice.

Conflict is inevitable and disagreement is something everyone has to deal with. We all have experience of using negotiating skills in our lives., I expect we can think of times when we had to navigate opposing views, manage a limited number of resources, or communicate disappointing messages.

David Liddle, author of Managing Conflict, divides conflict into Dysfunctional conflict when differences become personalised and wellbeing and working together is negatively affected… and functional conflict, which is useful for uncovering new approaches and understanding (Liddle, 2017) Conflict can be destructive, but it can also be a driving force for finding solutions and positive change.

Mediation is a new service, launched in November 2020. It is an independent, impartial, informal service for everyone.  You can be reassured that notes from mediation will not appear on student records.  Within the limits of the law, everything discussed throughout the mediation is confidential. It is an additional option to existing formal processes which can still be invoked if a mutually agreeable outcome is not found, although the Mediators themselves do not participate in any subsequent formal processes. The beauty of Mediation is that it is the only process where those in conflict get to decide how to resolve the issues.  

Mediation usually has 2 stages- we meet each participant separately, to listen to their individual perspectives and consider what might be gained from a joint meeting.  The aims of the joint meeting are to open dialogue, for everyone to listen to understand the different perspectives, arrive at a joint understanding of the problem, explore all possible options and to seek a mutually agreeable outcome.  

Mediation cannot succeed if it is used to try to silence a less powerful party or achieve a temporary peace by suppressing someone’s desire for justice. Mediation needs participants to leave their hierarchical status at the door so that we can have a sincere and honest conversation human to human.  

The Mediation Service is available for a variety of disagreements and concerns, including those between peers or colleagues, disputes within or between teams, concerns about allocation or distribution of resources, and concerns about actions or inactions of the University.

Mediation is not appropriate for alleged criminal activities, such as gender-based violence, or for addressing breaches of Health and Safety when dangerous working practices are alleged.

It can be hard to talk about being trapped within a conflict, but it is forward thinking people, committed to building resilience that will chose to acknowledge the reality they are in and look to find constructive solutions so that they can learn more about themselves and others and seek positive win-win outcomes.

Please get in touch if you would like a confidential conversation about a situation, even if you’re unsure if mediation would be right at this time, we’d love to hear from you.

If you’d like to learn more about conflict resolution and the role of mediation, we provide a variety or workshops and courses across the university. Find out more and book your place by searching “conflict” on PDMS. Thanks for listening.

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• Ruth Unsworth

  Ruth Unsworth is the Head of Mediation and Wellbeing and has worked at the University for over 14 years.

  She is a Qualified Mediator, registered with Scottish Mediation, and accredited as a Therapist by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BACBP), the lead organisation for cognitive behavioural therapy in the UK.

  Ruth has used mediation in a range of settings. She has worked with homeless young people, public sector and third sector agencies, each with their own priorities, to develop services for young homeless people in and around Glasgow.

  Ruth has many years’ experience of working with students, providing therapy, and helping to resolve disagreement or conflict situations.

  As a minister of the Church of Scotland, she has used mediation skills to develop different support groups for people impacted by domestic violence and drug abuse. More recently, she has worked with congregations who had to decide whether to unite and whether to give up buildings they loved.

  She also worked in Zambia with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Government educational officials, teachers, parents and children seeking to find a solution to different perspectives of conduct.

  Ruth worked in Student Services as a therapist and as a manager.

  Ruth also developed the Wellbeing, Counselling and Mental Health Matched Care framework. This received accreditation from the Accreditation Programme for Psychological Therapies Services (APPTS), a service development, quality improvement and accreditation network for services providing psychological therapy to adults in the UK. APPTS is a collaboration between the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the British Psychological Society.

  Ruth is:

  • Chair of the University Mental Health Taskforce
  • Co-Chair of the Equally Safe Group
  • a member of the Universities Scotland Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Group
  • a member of the Research Advisory Board for the national research into Thriving Scottish Learners

• Rebecca Swarbrick

  Rebecca Swarbrick is Deputy Head of Mediation for Mediation and Wellbeing. She trains mediators and runs conflict resolution workshops.

  She is a qualified and experienced mediator, registered with Scottish Mediation. Rebecca has a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution from Trinity College Dublin and has worked for small charities and schools.

  Rebecca loves both the simplicity of the process and the rich complexity of conversation that arises in mediation and is forever in awe of the courage of participants.

  She lives in the East Neuk, enjoying coastal walks, writing and mediating her children’s daily disputes.

• Ruth Woodfield

  Ruth Woodfield is a Professor of Equalities and Organisation in the University of St Andrews Business School.

  She has worked at the University for eight years. She is a qualified mediator and has completed mediation training at the University of St Andrews, accredited by Scottish Mediation.

  Ruth was Co-Head of School in Management between 2017 and 2019 and was seconded to the Principal’s Office as Assistant Vice-Principal (Diversity) at the University between 2019 and 2021. In the latter role, she co-led on the development of the People Strategy consultation and development, which highlighted the need for the Mediation Service.

  Ruth has research expertise in equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and in higher education in particular.  She has worked with staff and students in various roles that have required listening, facilitating, problem-solving and support skills.

• Louise Nixon

  Louise Nixon has worked at the University since 2006, first starting as a Human Resources (HR) Officer, moving roles over time, to her most recent position as the Deputy Director of HR.

  She has experience of working in many private sector organisations and other public sector bodies, all within the HR profession, before joining the University.

  Louise completed a National Certificate in Workplace Mediation in 2010 and refresher mediation training in 2021, and engages in continuing professional development.

  She has led workplace mediations as an individual mediator as well as engaging in co-mediation and many facilitated meetings using the principles of mediation to help resolve conflict. More recently, Louise has been involved in student mediation.

  Like with all other mediators, the role of mediation is independent and confidential from her role at the University.

  With an undergraduate degree in Organisational Behaviour and a Masters in Human Resource Management, Louise is interested in people-centred initiatives. She likes to help people to take ownership and resolve conflict constructively.

  Louise is a member of the Mental Health Task Force, Equally Safe working groups, and many other working groups that help drive change. She is keen to get involved in new initiatives and delighted to be part of the Mediation service as a qualified mediator.

• Julie Brooks

  Julie Brooks is Director of Postgraduate Programmes in the Business School, at the University of St Andrews.

  She has worked at the University for 19 years. She is a qualified mediator and has completed mediation training at the University of St Andrews, accredited by Scottish Mediation.

  Julie has worked in the public, private and voluntary sectors before taking up her role in the Business School. The common thread throughout her career has been working in roles that involve communication, empathy and listening skills, facilitating conversations between various people and across organisations.

  She spent 7 years living in Russia and speaks fluent Russian. While living there, she was involved in negotiations between Russian and US government officials at the regional and national level.

  During her time in Scotland and before starting her current role, she worked as the Community Planning Coordinator for Fife, a role that worked between Fife Council, National Health Service (NHS) Fife, Fife Police and CVS Fife.

  Her current role requires listening, facilitating, problem-solving and support skills when working with students and colleagues. Becoming a qualified mediator has allowed her to bring these skills together more formally and put them into use to benefit the University and the wider community.

• Boyka Bratanova

  Boyka Bratanova is a Senior Lecturer in Management in the Department of Management at the University of St Andrews.

  She has worked at the University for eight years. She has completed mediation training at the University of St Andrews, accredited by Scottish Mediation.

  Boyka’s background is in Social Psychology. Her research examines social inequalities and the tensions arising from them. Through her research activities and life experience, Boyka has developed a keen interest in mediation as an alternative conflict resolution.

  She firmly believes in the benefits that the mediation process can bring to participants, including finding optimal resolutions, strengthening relationships, and personal growth.

• Jason McNulty

  Jason McNulty is an Education Focused Lecturer and current Co-Director of Wellbeing in the School of Chemistry and has completed mediation training at the University of St Andrews, accredited by Scottish Mediation.

  Jason’s roles in Chemistry focus on student and staff wellbeing and improving equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Each of these roles requires good listening and communication skills, empathy and being supportive.

  Jason’s experience in these roles influences his approach to mediation and facilitates honest and pragmatic discussion to achieve constructive conflict resolution. Undertaking accredited training has allowed Jason to build on these skills. He is keen to continue to develop them as an active member of the University Mediation service.