The British Columbia Dispute Resolution Practicum Society is a non-profit society incorporated in 1998 to collaborate with the dispute resolution community in the development of practicum training programs. Its primary program to date is the Court Mediation Program, which operates in several Provincial Court Registries providing mediation services in small claims cases. The society’s activities are conducted under the guidance of a volunteer board of directors.

Purposes of the Society

• to provide an opportunity for trained but inexperienced dispute resolution practitioners to practice dispute resolution skills in a high-quality practicum environment;
• to provide a neutral service for mediation, including such mediation among parties to actions in the Small Claims Division of the BC Provincial Court;
• to support a justice and conflict resolution environment that offers a wide range of dispute resolution options in the civil justice system in British Columbia; and
• to enhance the profile and credibility of dispute resolution options in the community.

History of the Society

"I’ve taken mediation training, but no one will hire me without experience!" As early as 1996, members of the BC dispute resolution community began looking at ways to collaborate and address the top two concerns expressed by the mediation community:

• trained but inexperienced mediators were finding it next to impossible to get mediation practice experience, and
• a pool of experienced and skilled mediators was needed before significant mediation initiatives within the courts or elsewhere could be viable.

In the mid-90’s, there were many training opportunities available in British Columbia for people interested in gaining mediation skills, but students reported that they were unable to get mediation experience. Opportunities for supervision from an experienced mediator while mediating were not often available. Potential clients were unwilling to hire an inexperienced mediator.

As a result, the shortage of adequately trained, experienced mediators within British Columbia was restricting the introduction of new mediation initiatives within the court system, government, and other contexts. The mediation community and potential clients were expressing a desire for the development of a common roster of qualified experienced mediators.

The BC Dispute Resolution Practicum Society was formed in direct response to these two concerns. The first directors of the society represented a number of stakeholder groups in the mediation community: the Dispute Resolution Office of the Ministry of Attorney General, mediation trainers (including the Centre for Conflict Resolution at the Justice Institute of British Columbia and the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia), and mediator organizations (including the BC Arbitration and Mediation Institute, the Mediation Development Association of BC). As well, experts in the court process, including the Office of the Chief Judge of the BC Provincial Court and the Canadian Bar Association, participated in the development of the society and it first project.