The Sandoval County Juvenile Justice program is offering free training for citizens who are interested in becoming professional mediators.

In exchange for the free training and certification, class participants must agree to spend 4 to 6 hours per month volunteering to help conduct juvenile offender mediations for the first year after completing training.

After gaining mediation experience, program participants will be able to market themselves as professional mediators and compete for paid assignments. Mediation training courses typically cost $1,100 to $1,500 per person, and they don’t always offer the chance to gain real-world experience after the course work is complete.

The 40-hour course offered by the Sandoval County Juvenile Justice Program will be taught by experienced instructor and mediator Anne Lightsey, who will engage students in role playing and other exercises to help them understand the interpersonal dynamics of mediation and acquire the skills necessary for bringing conflicts to successful resolution. Students also will learn listening and conflict management techniques that will benefit them in every area of their professional and personal lives.

The training will start Thursday, August 27 2015. Class sessions will run every Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am to 4:45 pm through Friday, September 11 2015.

If you are interested in learning this very valuable skill—and using it to help others in the community—contact Cindy Rolla at (505) 771-7191 or crolla@sandovalcountynm.gov. Space is limited, so please call to reserve a space. The registration deadline is August 24, 2015.