PUBLIC POLICY MEDIATION

A decision to make a change in a community will often cause friction and considerable unrest among many factions. A Mediator, who is a neutral outside party, can facilitate an open process that will allow all of the different groups to express themselves safely. They have the chance, therefore, to arrive at a workable solution regarding the change in question.

MY TRAINING IN THIS AREA

• Trainings at the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution University of Texas School of Law (July, 1997) focusing on mediating large groups.
• Advanced training at the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution of Texas School of Law. This was an advanced course addressing Public Policy Mediation. We were introduced to the use of Mediation in politics. The role of the Mediator for Public Policy Mediation is to focus on the individuals in the group, thus empowering all present. The Mediator also, as in all Mediations, concentrates on and verbalizes the interests, positions and the issues of all parties.
• Masterful Facilitation Course with the Yarbrough Group, Colorado (40 hours)

These three trainings centered on negotiated rule-making. An emphasis of these trainings was that all conflict and change can bring about challenge and opportunity.

MY EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC POLICY MEDIATION

• Among others, I mediated a large group of people from a Corpus Christi Refinery and the surrounding neighbors.
• I am a Fellow of the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution (I am listed as Nancy Somers on their website)