Advanced Mediators Global Scholarship

The PON Executive Committee approved the establishment of the HNI Advanced Mediators Global Scholarship program. This program plans to award two half-tuition scholarships for the June 2020 HNI Advanced Mediation Workshop.

A PON scholarship award committee will review applications received in the spring, and award half-tuition scholarships for the June HNI Advanced Mediation Workshop to two experienced mediator applicants who embody PON’s Mediation values, help promote PON’s mission and are active (full-time or occasionally) in providing community-level dispute resolution services. The scholarship requires experienced mediators to apply with the endorsement of their local / regional / national mediation association, and preference will be given to mediators who support under-served communities or clients.

Background

The HNI Advanced Mediation Workshop is a unique course, designed for experienced practicing mediators from around the world, with a diverse set of styles and experience in many different sectors (e.g., labor, divorce, business, family, public policy, etc.). This five day HNI course is run by PON in partnership with Harvard Law School. Enrollment is limited to 48 participants. The fully enrolled 2019 class included a group of highly qualified experienced mediators from 14 countries and 41 different cities around the globe.

The HNI Advanced Mediation Workshop was created several years ago in response to many requests for advanced mediation training. PON developed a program that helps practicing mediators take their skill set to the next level by revisiting their toolkit, comparing best practices, reflecting on their own theories-of-practice and building a global network with other experienced mediators. HNI Advanced Mediation debuted in 2015 and in 2019 completed its fifth successful session with registration reaching capacity early. The teaching faculty includes David Hoffman, Larry Susskind, Samuel (Mooly) Dinnar, Audrey Lee and Susan Podziba.

Workshop Alumni: The 200+ HNI Advanced Mediation Workshop alumni come from many countries and are affiliated with a variety of local and regional mediation organizations. We hope the creation of this scholarship will help attract mediators to the workshop who otherwise could not afford to attend. We are also hoping that through the endorsement of the local or regional mediation center, local connections will be strengthened, to include diverse groups of experienced mediators who support community-level dispute resolution efforts.

Mediation Centers and ADR Organizations: We encourage local or regional mediation centers and organizations to support qualified interested mediators. PON can only accept one nomination from a center per year, and we ask that nominators try to recommend people who need the financial support to attend. The preference is for full time practitioners who are at least involved in providing community-level dispute resolution services, potentially to under-served communities. We believe that many experienced practitioners (potentially local solo practitioners) would be happy to have such a sponsorship, or an endorsement, from the ADR organization in their country or region, and will proudly carry that designation.

Note: PON’s relationship will be with course alumni and potential participants applying for the scholarship. The endorsing mediation centers and ADR organizations should not promote an affiliation with PON or HNI. Workshop participants and scholarship winners will be able to claim that they attended the course and/or received a scholarship. The sponsoring mediation organization can claim that they helped their participants attend a Harvard Program on Negotiation course.

Scholarship Details

Award amount: The scholarship will be 50% of the tuition ($2,875)

Application: Applications to be received online by filling a short online form and uploading documents:

  1. One-page application letter explaining their candidacy, including their area of mediation activity, their reason for wanting to attend the course in order to help their community/clients, and their financial need for support
  2. Resume
  3. An endorsement letter from their local/affiliated mediation or ADR organization
  4. Name and contact information for two additional references (different from the endorsing center)
  5. Proof of English proficiency (as applicable)

Scholarship Committee: The Committee will include three PON faculty members, at least one of which is a PON Executive Committee member. The committee will review all requests and select up to two qualified winners, at their discretion.

Scholarship Award Criteria:

  • A trained or certified mediator with at least five years of practicing experience (note: no requirement or preference for lawyers).
  • Involved in providing community-level dispute resolution services, with preference to those providing services in developing countries or under-served communities and/or clients.
  • Financial need for support
  • An endorsement from a local/affiliated mediation or ADR organization
  • English proficiency is required to attend the workshop

Application Date: March 1st, 2021.

Winner Announcement: Scholarship winners will be announced on March 15th, 2021.

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