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ADRIA is now delivering Prompt Payment Construction Adjudication Services!

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Construction Adjudication services in Alberta are now regulated under the Province’s Prompt Payment Construction Lien Act (PPCLA).  Effective August 28th, 2022, all construction payment disputes are subject to the regulated adjudication process, and all construction adjudicators offering services under the PPCLA must be certified by a Nominating Authority (NA) appointed by the Minister Service Alberta.  Visit  https://www.adralberta.com/prompt-payment/  for more details and a link to the legislation.

 Effective March 7th, 2023, ADRIA and its partners (collectively operating as ARCANA (AB)) have been granted ongoing Ministerial authority to provide NA services in Alberta for the provision of construction adjudication services.  In fact, ARCANA (AB) is the only NA with delegated authority in the province, and expects to be formally appointed in the weeks ahead.  ARCANA (AB) represents a collaborative partnership between ADRIA, ADR Canada (ADRIC) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and over a dozen roster applicants completed 40+ hours of construction adjudication training in 2022.  Another training session is planned for this Spring – see the details below. 

ADRIA will soon post supporting website materials and a roster of qualified adjudicators, and has already begun accepting contract payment disputes and appointing adjudicators.  ARCANA (AB) is working closely with the construction industry representatives to ensure that its NA services meet the sector’s needs, and will form a standing Advisory Council to enhance services over time.  Visit the ADRIA website for updates and roster opportunities in this sector, and to register for the April 20th Prompt Payment Construction Adjudication Symposium in Calgary or live stream.

<strong>ADRIA is now delivering Prompt Payment Construction Adjudication Services!</strong>Read More

ADRIA Employment Opportunity – Executive Director

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ADRIA will soon be in need of a new Executive Director, as Paul Conway prepares for yet another retirement. The Board of Directors is now conducting an executive search and hopes to receive early expressions of interest by March 10th. A more detailed job description is available here. Applicants need not be ADR Practitioners, although ADR experience is certainly an asset. Hours, start date, and the transition period are all flexible. The role of Executive Director provides an important opportunity to advance ADR interests in Alberta and nationally.

ADRIA Employment Opportunity – Executive DirectorRead More

February is Designation Month

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The Designation application window will be open February 1-28, 2023.

Applications are accepted until February 28, 2023 for the following ADRIC credentials: Qualified Mediator (Q.Med), Chartered Mediator (C.Med), Qualified Arbitrator (Q.Arb), Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb), Chartered Med/Arb (C.Med/Arb), AND the new ADR Canada Family Q.Med qualification.

We require three weeks notice to schedule your C.Med Skills Assessment or Q.Med Supervised Mock Mediation so contact education@adralberta.com to book your spot.

For more information:

The application fee is $200 plus GST. Currently the $200 application fee for all Chartered designation applications is waived. Don’t delay – take advantage of this opportunity while it’s available!

If you have any questions, please email membership@adralberta.com.

The next application window is in June 2023.

February is Designation MonthRead More

Free Webinar Recording: Improv for Conflict Resolution

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Intro to Improv for Mediators – Comfort in Uncertainty, Joy in Collaboration

In collaboration with the FOAJ, we presented this free Lunch and Learn webinar: Improv for Conflict Resolution on December 15, 2022 at 11:30am.

As mediators, we aim to solve problems without preconceptions of what should happen. It’s an improvised process. But improvising isn’t always easy. We can get caught up in our own thoughts, try to create solutions too quickly, or feel lost when things don’t go as expected. Improv training helps us build our comfort in uncertainty, reduce our fear around relinquishing control, and find joy and ease in collaboration.

Get a taste of improv training, learn about the fascinating overlap between the principles of improv and principles of conflict mediation, and leave with some ideas for applying improv to your own work.

Speaker: Zoë Barrett-Wood

Zoë Barrett-Wood is a mediator and facilitator with the Canadian Collaborative for Engagement and Conflict Management. She has a background in the sciences and the performing arts, and believes in the power of bringing the two together. Zoë worked for a decade as an environmental consultant on complex projects related to land protection, resource development, and community health. She’s also worked as an actor, improviser, and comedian for film, theatre, and audio projects. She has been teaching improv for workplaces in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors for the past 7 years.

This recording is from Dec 15, 2022

Free Webinar Recording: Improv for Conflict ResolutionRead More

Looking for a Mentor? Connect on our Members Only Forum

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The Members Only Forum is a place for ADRIA members to connect with other ADR professionals, discuss important topics facing the industry, and share resources.

Are you a new mediator looking for the support of someone more experienced? Are you an experienced mediator interested in offering support to new & learner mediators? (“Classifieds: Support for new mediators“)

Looking for role-players to practice your mediation skills? Or, are you willing to role-play for those wanting to practice? (“Connecting mediation students and role-players“)

Are you looking to connect with experienced arbitrators to support you with your learning journey? Are you an experienced arbitrator willing to support a learner arbitrator? (“Connecting new arbitrators with mentors“)

What does it even mean to be a mentor? (“What is a Mentor?“)

Post on our members forum to connect with other professionals in ADR.

Forum Guidelines
Make sure you read the Forum Guidelines before posting.

Login Required
As this is a members only forum, you will need to have your membership up-to-date and be logged in before you can read or post in the forum. Otherwise you will get an error message. 

Check out some of the mentorship opportunities already posted on the Members Only Forum!

Looking for a Mentor? Connect on our Members Only ForumRead More

Webinar Recording: Secondary Trauma – Building resilience through informed care

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Secondary stress is emotional duress that can result from exposure to another person’s first hand traumatic experience. With trauma-informed tools we can build resilience for our service providers so they can best support the people they serve.

Speaker:  Dr. Suzette Brémault-Phillips

Dr. Suzette Brémault–Phillips is an Occupational Therapist and Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, who holds a PhD in spirituality. She is also the Director of the Heroes in Mind Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), a provincial hub for research, teaching and service in support of military members, Veterans, public safety personnel and their families. An experienced clinician, educator, researcher, and consultant, she has worked in a variety of settings across provinces, health care systems and the lifespan. Her expertise is in the area of rehabilitation, complex needs, mental and spiritual health, trauma-informed care, and older adults. Suzette’s research interests include resilience, well-being, moral injury, novel trauma-focused.

This webinar recording is from December 1, 2022.

Webinar Recording: Secondary Trauma – Building resilience through informed careRead More

Celebrate Conflict Resolution Day 2022

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The Conflict Resolution Day Alberta Committee is a collaboration between the Alberta Government’s Dispute Resolution Network and ADR (Appropriate Dispute Resolution) organizations from all over the province, including ADRIA. 

The Committee’s goal is to get Albertans talking about their options to work through conflict in a positive and productive way. 

You can find out more about the committee and Conflict Resolution Day on the website: http://www.conflictresolutionday.ca/

Conflict Resolution Day is October 20, 2022 this year with the theme: Mind Your Bias.

Mind Your Own Bias – Complimentary Workshop

Please join on October 20, 2022 at 12:00 P.M. to learn skills about how to mind your bias!

Minding our bias can teach us how to welcome diverse perspectives, close the distance between perspectives, and find common ground with our neighbours again. Our workshop will shed understanding of biases, clarifying when a bias may be in play and offer tangible skills that help participants move from recognition to recovery. With this understanding, you will be able to communicate with each other in a way that sheds light on the perspectives that are gained from clear communication.

During the presentation you’ll learn how to define and recognize biases, learn about the science behind biases, see how biases can be recognized in an environment, and learn strategies and communication tools to minimize the impact of biases.

October 20, 2022 at 12 PM – 1PM
Free, Online

Registration

TED Talks

5 Ways to Listen Better – Julian Treasure

In our louder and louder world, says sound expert Julian Treasure, “We are losing our listening.” In this short, fascinating talk, Treasure shares five ways to re-tune your ears for conscious listening — to other people and the world around you.

10 Ways to Have Better Conversations – Celeste Headlee

When your job hinges on how well you talk to people, you learn a lot about how to have conversations — and that most of us don’t converse very well. Celeste Headlee has worked as a radio host for decades, and she knows the ingredients of a great conversation: Honesty, brevity, clarity and a healthy amount of listening. In this insightful talk, she shares 10 useful rules for having better conversations. “Go out, talk to people, listen to people,” she says. “And, most importantly, be prepared to be amazed.”

The Power of Listening – William Ury

William Ury, cofounder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, is one of the world’s best-known and most influential experts on negotiation. William Ury explains how listening is the essential, and often overlooked, half of communication. His stories of candid conversations with presidents and business leaders provide us with impactful lessons, such as understanding the power of a human mind opening up. He asks us to join a listening revolution, and promises that if we all just listen a little bit more, we can transform any relationship.

Podcasts

Theory of Enchantment: Chloe Valdary

Could the antidote to racism be enchantment? Chloe Valdary thinks so. Theory of Enchantment is a radical approach to anti-racism rooted in understanding that celebrates the complexity of the human spirit. Since racism derives from deep insecurities projected onto others, the work of enchantment includes shadow, acknowledges personal complexity, and affirms right relationship with self. Diversity need not be division, and inclusion does not discount differences.

Empathy does not ‘fix’ but accompanies another’s suffering, and criticism can be used to uplift and empower. Valdary’s fulsome framework—from workshops to a self-paced online course–includes myth, literature, religion, and Jungian concepts.

Theory of Enchantment reaches beyond conflict resolution for connection with universal principles of humanity, healing, and wholeness. It is a life practice and personal discipline that teaches that we can–actually—root everything we do in love and compassion.

Articles

How To Resolve Interpersonal Conflicts in the Workplace – Liz Kislik 
 
Brené Brown on the Right Way to Argue at Work – Graham Winfrey

Are You Setting Expectations for Employees in the Right Way? Forbes Coaches Council 

Courses

Know Your Values – Free Online Course

In celebration of Conflict Resolution Day, Values Based Living is offering free access to their Know Your Values online course. Enter coupon code CRDAYFREE at checkout.

Values Based Living combines conflict resolution, self-inquiry, and neuroscience to help people learn to live in alignment with their values.

In this course, you will explore:

  • Your top values
  • How values affect unconscious behaviour
  • The power of emotions and values, and how to work with them instead of being hijacked by them
  • How to create a step-by-step plan to uncover and use your values in a way that is designed just for you

Approaching Conflict with Confidence Series

The Approaching Conflict with Confidence series is online training to learn practical skills to better manage conflict at work and at home.

This series is for people without a background in ADR and who aren’t looking to become a mediator but would like to become more effective at managing conflict in their personal and professional lives. Through interactive online training, you will learn the theory and practice the skills to resolve conflict effectively.

Take one course in the series or combine them to enhance your learning and skill development.

Upcoming Course Dates:

Community Resources

211 Alberta Resource – Find Community and Social Services
211 is a helpline and website that provides information on and referrals to Alberta’s community, social, health-related and government services. The vision for 211 Alberta is to be the primary source of information and gateway to human services for individuals and planners.

Credit Counselling Society
Credit Counselling Society is an award winning, non-profit service, helping individuals and families find their best options to deal with their debt and get their finances back on track.

MyMoneyCoach
MyMoneyCoach.ca is a free public service provided by the Credit Counselling Society.  The website objectively shows average Canadians how to save money on their everyday living expenses and how to make smart financial choices.

Mediation and Restorative Justice Center
​Do you have a disagreement with your neighbours or family and don’t know what to do?  The Mediation and Restorative Justice Center can help you to resolve difficult conflicts or disputes that may arise between you and your family members, neighbours, members of your community, people at work, or fellow participants in groups or activities by facilitating a meeting with the person or people you are having a dispute with.

Strathcona County Community Mediation Services
Problems with your neighbours?  Strathcona County Community Mediation (SCCM) can help. Living together in a community can be challenging.  Not all people experience events in the same way and when you find you are in conflict – there is help.  Mediation provides the time, space, process, and facilitators to have an open and honest and respectful conversation to gain understanding of one another’s concerns and together, to explore options for resolving it.

Community Mediation Calgary Society
Community Mediation Calgary Society (CMCS) is a registered charitable not-for-profit organization with trained volunteer mediators who provide a safe space for open and effective conversation. The end goal is to develop understanding and empathy between participants, so they can reach a mutually agreeable resolution.

Celebrate Conflict Resolution Day 2022Read More

International Day of Older Persons on October 1, 2022

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The UN is marking the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 by encouraging countries to draw attention to and challenge negative stereotypes and misconceptions about older persons and ageing, and to enable older persons to realize their potential.

We compiled a few resources of interest for those interested in Alternative Dispute Resolution:

International Day of Older Persons on October 1, 2022Read More

Mark Orange Shirt Day & National Day for Truth & Reconciliation on September 30

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September 30 is Orange Shirt Day as well as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Andrea Menard (she/they/ᐃᐧᔭᐋᐧᐤ wiyawâw), a member of our Board of Directors at ADRIA, produced a powerful video through her work as the Lead Educational Developer for Indigenizing Curricula and Pedagogies at the University of Alberta. In the video, Andrea speaks of the importance of recognizing September 30th as both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as well as Orange Shirt Day. Watch their powerful video about why it matters, and how we move in truth toward reconciliation.

Join us in taking action to mark this national holiday by committing yourself to learning more. You may want to make space in your day on September 30th to take in a variety of learning resources including these below:

Watch the ADRIC recordings on Diversity in ADR, including:

Mark Orange Shirt Day & National Day for Truth & Reconciliation on September 30Read More

Home Cook, Line Chef, or Executive Chef: Are You Ready for Your Designation Assessment?

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Wondering if you are ready for your designation assessment?

While your courses provide you with the foundational knowledge of mediation, applying for a designation takes further investment in the integration of skills.

Both the Q.Med and C.Med designations require the candidate to demonstrate their integration of skills in a role-play Mediation. The question for many candidates then becomes, what level of skill integration is required to be successful in the Supervised Mock Mediation (SMM) needed for the Q.Med designation or the Assessment needed for the C.Med designation?

To illustrate this, we will use the example of home cooks vs Line Chefs vs Executive Chefs.

Home Cooks – Basic Communication Skills

There are home cooks that can barely boil water, some that are adequate at preparing a meal but are more reliant on recipes, and others that are quite talented in the kitchen. This is the same with communication and mediation skills.

The home cooks that are more talented in the kitchen have had a lot more practice, often having a mentor (like learning from a family member), and may have even taken some classes.  It’s part of their everyday life and they take pride in improving their skills. But are they skilled in all areas (e.g. appetizers, main dishes, and desserts)? Are they good enough to charge for their services? A few maybe, but the majority are not.

Line Chefs – Q.Med Supervised Mock Mediation

Being successful in your Q.Med Supervised Mock Mediation means you are more than a talented home cook. You would be more like a Line Chef.

Line Chefs have integrated skills in food preparation and safety. They are consistent and can manage the complexities of working in a professional kitchen. While they may not excel in all areas of the kitchen they can jump in wherever they are needed.

An effective way to achieve those integrated skills in mediation is with Mediation Role-Play Practice Sessions.

Executive Chef – C.Med Assessment

An Executive Chef is comparable to what is needed for the C.Med Assessment.

They can look at a list of 10 ingredients and can create 50 different recipes. They can work with the most obscure ingredients. They know instinctively when something is not quite right. They know what’s missing (salt, fat, acid, heat) and when to use them to get the desired results.

Where Are You in Your Skill Development?

Are you a home cook, a Line Chef, or an Executive Chef? Get full details on the Designation process.

Home Cook, Line Chef, or Executive Chef: Are You Ready for Your Designation Assessment?Read More

New Construction Industry Prompt Payment Framework & Dispute Resolution Process in Alberta

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Announcement from the Government of Alberta on August 29, 2022:

Stronger construction rules will bolster industry

A new prompt payment framework ushers in payment timelines and a dispute resolution process for Alberta’s construction sector.

Formerly known as the Builder’s Lien Act, the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act is now in force. The new act creates rules for the timing of payments and sets out a streamlined adjudication process for disputes related to payment or work performed as an alternative to court.

Learn More About the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act

You can read the rest of the announcement on our Construction Prompt Payment Adjudication page.

New Construction Industry Prompt Payment Framework & Dispute Resolution Process in AlbertaRead More

Recap: ADRIA Annual General Meeting June 2022

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ADRIA again held its Annual AGM in a hybrid fashion on June 16th, with reception gatherings in Edmonton & Calgary, and online opportunities to participate for members elsewhere in the province.  The evening featured a keynote presentation from Queens Bench Justice Anna Loparco, who outlined important Court Initiatives regarding Restorative Justice.

View the recording of Justice Loparco`s presentation and the AGM proceedings. 

Any questions or feedback regarding the 2022 AGM, or suggestions for the future of ADRIA, should be forwarded to board@adralberta.com.

Central to the AGM proceeding were the election and appointment of Board Directors and Officers.  Their bios are detailed on our Board webpage. Two new Board members were added, and ADRIA members will be well represented for the 2022/23 year as follows:

President
Barbara McNeil, C.Med, Q.Arb

Treasurer
Samuel H. Sele, Q.Med

Secretary
Cindy Imppola, Q.Med

ADRIC Representative
Dora Dang, C.Med, C.Arb, C.Med-Arb

Director & Governance Committee Chair
Paul Blakeney, C.Med

Directors
Stephen Carter-Edwards
Jerry Crawford
Diana Lowe
Andrea Menard
Amin Poonja, Q.Med
Sharon Roberts, Q.Arb

The position of Vice President is to be determined.

Three Board members left the Board in June, having completed their terms or relocated out of province: Barrie Marshall, Kevin Kelly and Ali Ansell. Each had contributed significantly to the success of ADRIA over many years, and each will be missed as the Board convenes for 2022/23. We owe them a great deal of thanks. 

Recap: ADRIA Annual General Meeting June 2022Read More

Frequently Asked Question About How to Apply for a ADR Designation

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This is the time of year members are considering applying for a professional designation, so we have summarized the application process in simple terms.

The designations – Chartered Mediator (C.Med), Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb), Qualified Mediator (Q.Med), Qualified Mediator Family (Q.Med(Fam)), and Qualified Arbitrator (Q.Arb) – are awarded by the ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC). These designations allow members to convey their level of experience and skill in a way that is recognized internationally. You can find out more on our Designations page.

ADRIA administers the first part of the application process for our members and sends the applications and recommendations to ADRIC for final approval. Applications are accepted in February, June, and October each year.

Criteria for Arbitration Designations

To apply for a Qualified Arbitrator (Q.Arb) designation you need to have completed a 40-hour approved arbitration course and passed the exam. 

ADRIA runs the National Introductory Arbitration course online, in Calgary and in Edmonton. On the last day of the course, you will view an arbitration hearing video and are provided with written evidence. You have 30-days from the last day of this course to write an Award on this case. The exam is pass/fail. A pass fulfills the requirements to apply for a Q.Arb designation. 

No practical experience is needed to apply for a Q.Arb designation however you still need to go through the application process – a designation is not automatically issued simply by completing the course.

To apply for a Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb) designation you need to have completed and passed an approved Arbitration course as described above, plus you must have practical experience in arbitration. Specifically, you must have chaired at least 10 fee-paid arbitrations and provide at least 2 awards that you have written for review by the Designation Committee.    

Criteria for Mediation Designations

To apply for a Qualified Mediator (Q.Med) designation you need education, practical experience, and reference letters. 

The educational requirement is 40 hours of mediation training which must be a single, pre-approved course; an additional 40 hours of ADR training which can be a combination of courses, but must be in ADR and must be training; and 6 hours of ADR ethics training.

ADRIA runs the National Introductory Mediation course online, in Calgary and in Edmonton. Other institutes also have pre-approved mediation courses. If you are unsure if a course would qualify for your designation, please contact the ADRIA office. 

For the practical experience requirement, you need three mediations, one must be a real (actual) mediation (paid or unpaid), one must be a supervised mock mediation, and the third can be either a real mediation or a supervised mock mediation.

For the real mediations, you are required to provide a summary of each mediation following the guidelines in the Q.Med application form. 

Supervised mock mediations can be arranged through ADRIA for a fee of $450 (plus GST) for in-person demonstrations and $400 (plus GST) for online demonstrations. Candidates can also arrange and record their own demonstration and submit that recording to the office to be reviewed for a fee of $250 (plus GST). Please contact education@adralberta.com for guidelines on recording your own demonstration.  

For the requirement of the reference letters, you need two professional letters of recommendation and one personal letter of recommendation. 

To apply for a Chartered Mediator (C.Med) designation you need education, practical experience, reference letters, and a skills assessment.

The educational requirement is 180 hours of ADR training, including the same 40-hour pre-approved mediation course requirement as for the Q.Med. The other 140 hours can be a combination of ADR courses. 

For the practical experience requirement, you need 15 solo, fee-paid mediations. 

For the requirement of the reference letter, you need two professional letters of recommendation and one personal letter of recommendation. 

The skills assessment is a one-hour role-play observed by three assessors approved by the designations committee. Two of the assessors will act as the role-players and one assessor will observe and take notes. Approval by at least two assessors is required to pass the skills assessment. This assessment is conducted separately and apart from any classroom evaluation occurring as part of the students’ mediation training and must be booked through ADRIA. It is recommended that you schedule your assessment after you have met all of the other requirements for a C.Med designation as the assessment must be completed within two years of applying for your designation. The fee for this assessment is $495 plus GST.

Additional information for all designations

The designation application fee is $200 plus GST. 

After you have been granted a designation, there is an annual fee to maintain your designation. The fee is payable to ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) due annually on January 1st. 

You must remain a full member in good standing with the ADR Institute of Alberta (ADRIA) to retain your designation. Your membership renewal with ADRIA is due yearly from the time you obtained membership.

In order to be granted a designation, you are required to have professional liability insurance also known as Errors and Omissions insurance. ADRIC has negotiated a special rate with Marsh Insurance for ADR professionals. Rates start at $235 per year for Arbitrators and $145 per year for other ADR practitioners, including mediators. 

You are also required to demonstrate Continuing Education and Engagement (CCE) in your field. Information on the Continuing Education and Engagement Program requirements can be found in your ADRIC member portal.

Full details of the application process and the necessary forms are on our Designations page. 

Frequently Asked Question About How to Apply for a ADR DesignationRead More

Share These Fall Capacity Building Events with Your Friends, Family & Contacts!

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There are lots of free and low-cost opportunities this fall for the general public to increase their confidence in approaching conflict!

Many of these events are offered online and could be taken from across Canada. 

Please pass on these learning events to non-practitioners who are working on developing conflict management skills.

Conflict Resolution Day Free Workshop: Mind Your Bias

We all have biases, and their roots are complex. By understanding our own biases and how they’re formed we can be proactive and prevent conflict.Minding our bias can teach us how to welcome diverse perspectives, close the distance between perspectives, and find common ground with our neighbours. This workshop will shed understanding of biases, clarifying when a bias may be in play and offer tangible skills that help participants move from recognition to recovery. With this understanding, you will be able to communicate with each other in a way that sheds light on the perspectives that are gained from clear communication.

Free & Online
October 20, 2022

Details & Registration

Want to Host a “Mind Your Bias” Workshop in Your Organization?

Please join on September 22 from 12:00 to 1:30 PM for a Train-the-Trainer Workshop to receive the information and resources to host your very own Mind Your Own Bias presentation. 

Free & Online
September 22, 2022

Details & Registration

Learn to Approach Conflict with Confidence

Series of Courses in Conflict Resolution for the General Public

Understanding Conflict

This course is designed to introduce students to new ways of looking at conflict.  With these new understandings, students will be able to approach conflict more confidently and effectively.

Online
Sept 14 & 21, 2022

Details & Registration

Assertive Expression

Students will have more skills for using assertive communication effectively and will be more confident using these skills in their daily lives, as well as in conflict. 

Online
October 4, 2022

Details & Registration

Managing Conflict

This interactive and applied training is designed to get students applying key concepts and practicing conflict management skills from the start of the course, so students will leave the course feeling able to start applying their new skills.

Online
October 27-29, 2022

Details & Registration

Defusing Techniques

This workshop will help you understand the dynamics of anger and will provide you with the knowledge, self-awareness, and skills to verbally defuse situations.

Online
November 7, 2022

Details & Registration

Interested in Taking Your Skills a Bit Deeper?

Communications in ADR forms the foundation of further learning in conflict resolution and is a prerequisite for some of our other courses.

Communications in ADR

Edmonton, September/October 2022

Calgary, October/November 2022

Online, November 2022

An introduction to the causes and effects of interpersonal conflict, with particular emphasis on the dynamics of conflict, conflict resolution styles and the cycle of conflict.

Share These Fall Capacity Building Events with Your Friends, Family & Contacts!Read More

Workplace Harassment: Expected and Prohibited Conduct

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While we all know there is a requirement to treat our colleagues, clients, and others we interact with at work with dignity and respect, sometimes inappropriate interactions creep in without our awareness or recognition.

This introductory presentation covers:

  • sexual harassment and bullying behaviours
  • affects to the targets of harassment and the overall workplace
  • respectful workplace behaviour and expectations
  • reporting and investigative procedures and expectations

Speaker:  Ruthann Weeks, CRS

Ruthann Weeks is a People and Culture Strategist and founder of Harmony In The Workplace. She is a change agent whose efforts have helped to bring the importance of an abuse-free work environment to the forefront of public awareness. She is an author and gifted keynote speaker who delivers a powerful message about today’s workplace challenges.

Working as a Certified Resource Specialist in the human service sector, Ruthann went on to graduate as a Human Resource Manager. She is a Certified Psychological Safety Advisor and specializes in leadership development, people and culture, diversity and inclusion, workplace bullying, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and mental health in the workplace.



Workplace Harassment: Expected and Prohibited ConductRead More

Looking for Office Space?

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ADRIA is seeking office and training partners

If you are a private professional, or work with another business or non-profit, ADRIA is looking to share its Mill Woods facilities over the next leasing period. 

ADRIA can offer office space and shared training rooms, meeting rooms, coffee rooms and more. Shared administrative, reception, IT and photocopier support are also possible. 500 to 5000 square feet are available, walking distance from the new Valley Line LRT. The office tower is attached to a shopping mall and food court, offering abundant free parking. 

If you are interested in knowing more about this opportunity, or know of any interested organization or business, please contact ADRIA’s Executive Director at paul@adralberta.com. 

Looking for Office Space?Read More

Free ADR Webinar – Workplace Harassment: Expected and Prohibited Conduct

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While we all know there is a requirement to treat our colleagues, clients, and others we interact with at work with dignity and respect, sometimes inappropriate interactions creep in without our awareness or recognition.

This introductory presentation covers:

  • sexual harassment and bullying behaviours
  • affects to the targets of harassment and the overall workplace
  • respectful workplace behaviour and expectations
  • reporting and investigative procedures and expectations

Speaker:  Ruthann Weeks, CRS

Ruthann Weeks is a People and Culture Strategist and founder of Harmony In The Workplace. She is a change agent whose efforts have helped to bring the importance of an abuse-free work environment to the forefront of public awareness. She is an author and gifted keynote speaker who delivers a powerful message about today’s workplace challenges.

Working as a Certified Resource Specialist in the human service sector, Ruthann went on to graduate as a Human Resource Manager. She is a Certified Psychological Safety Advisor and specializes in leadership development, people and culture, diversity and inclusion, workplace bullying, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and mental health in the workplace.


April 28, 2022
11:30 am – 1:15 pm
Online

Details & Registration

Free ADR Webinar – Workplace Harassment: Expected and Prohibited ConductRead More

Decisions, Decisions – How to Write them Successfully

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In this video Leila Gosselin discusses the essential requirements for an effective decision. She shares how to write an effective decision designed for the related audience, including the legal requirements for administrative decision makers. She addresses two main motives/explanations on what makes a written decision ineffective or futile. Leila shares a sample of a decision writing structure and the steps for effective decision writing.

Leila Gosselin, BA Specialization in Criminology, JD, CTAJ

Ms. Gosselin is a retired lawyer who practiced in the area of administrative law.

She received her B.A. (Criminology with Distinction 1986), and LL.B. (1989), from the University of Alberta. She articled with The City of Calgary Law Department in 1989 and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1990. She received her Chartered Mediator status in January 2000.

Ms. Gosselin has appeared before several administrative tribunals including the Labour Relation Board, Human Rights Commission, Land Compensation Board, Assessment Review Board, Municipal Government Board, and Livery Transport Services Board. Ms. Gosselin has appeared before all levels of court in Alberta, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.

She is a senior instructor with the Foundation of Administrative Justice (FOAJ) and holds her Certificate in Tribunal Administrative Justice™ offered by FOAJ.

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Irish Mediation Act 2017

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Support for the regulation of mediation in Canada has waxed and waned over the years. Many practitioners agree that some form of oversight is needed although many cannot agree why. One of the strongest arguments against regulation is the cost involved to set up regulatory bodies which would likely mean higher professional membership fees for mediators. But there is more than one way to consider regulation and in this webinar we hear about the experience in Ireland with its Mediation Act, 2017 and if this model should be considered in Canada.

Presenter:  Colm Brannigan

Colm Brannigan is mediator and arbitrator in the Toronto area. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, holds an LL.M. in ADR, and is a Chartered Mediator and a Chartered Arbitrator through the ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC).

An acknowledged Canadian expert in the development of online dispute resolution and med-arb processes, he is the first person to receive the Chartered Med-Arb designation from ADRIC.

Colm is a frequent speaker at continuing education webinars, programs and conferences and has taught ADR in the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University.  He is a founding member of the Canadian Collaborative for Engagement & Conflict Management (https://www.c4ecm.ca/) an innovative group dedicated to ADR training and best practices.

Colm can be contacted by e-mail at colm@mediate.ca or through his website www.mediate.ca.

Presenter:  Paul Pierse

Paul Pierse is a lecturer on the LL.B. in Irish Law, the Certificate in Mediation and the Certificate in Dual Career Development (Sports).

From Listowel in County Kerry, Paul obtained an honours degree in Commerce and German from the National University of Ireland, Galway, before being admitted on to the roll of solicitors by the Law Society of Ireland and Certified to practice as a Mediator by the Mediators Institute of Ireland. Paul has developed a keen interest in mediation as an alternative to litigation and actively promotes its use in appropriate circumstances. He was instrumental in the inclusion of a separate module on Mediation in the LL.B. (Hons) in Irish Law in Griffith College – a first in Irish third level education.

Paul is recognised as amongst the most established lecturers in delivering third level education through blended delivery. Having just completed his PGDip in Teaching and Learning at the time, Paul was selected as part of the pioneering cohort of lecturers when the LL.B. (Hons) in Irish Law was first launched via blended delivery.

Paul continues to lecture a number of core modules on this successful course.

Presenter:  Dr. Roisin O’Shea

Róisín is a former Irish Research Council scholar, who was awarded a Ph.D. in 2014 for her doctoral research on Judicial Separation and Divorce in the Circuit Court, Ireland. She has significant experience as a mediator completing hundreds of cases since 2009 including Family, Work-place, Farm family, SME mediations, Commercial disputes, Succession disputes, Wards of Court and EPA (Enduring Power of Attorney) disputes and Personal Injury claims. Many of these cases have been referred to Róisín after legal proceedings have been initiated, and the majority of cases subsequently came to a mutually satisfactory agreement.

This recording is from our February 17, 2022 Webinar:

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