‘Our aim is to help participants learn peace-making skills’ 

The Blackley Centre is once again hosting its Paths of Peace Training Course, which equips participants with the skills to transform conflicts in a church setting and beyond
 
Baptist minister and mediation trainer Joanna Williams explains more

 

 
What can you do when relationships become strained in your church or faith community? Do you want to help but are concerned about how – anxious not to make things worse?
 
When tension and conflict escalates, mediation may be just what is needed.
 
Mediation is a structured process in which a neutral third party (the mediator) facilitates dialogue between people to help resolve disagreement.
 
Our mediation skills course at the Blackley Centre in Yorkshire is designed to help in situations like these.
 

• “A high point was learning about the mediation process – it feels like a way to deal with conflict.” (Past participant)

 
Central to it all is careful, respectful listening which builds understanding, enabling participants to find ways forward that bring life and reconciliation.
 

• “Changed all my listening practice and gave me new skills for helping people in conflict.” (Past participant)

 
This course introduces a five-stage process that you practise step by step. Although the focus is on transforming conflicts in churches, the skills that you learn can be used wherever there is a role, formal or informal, for mediative intervention by a third party.
 
The course features an introduction to Conflict Theory, and covers the nature of church conflict, its escalation and opportunities for transformation.
 
It also explores the important role of interpersonal communication within mediation, particularly in stressful storm conditions, to minimise misunderstanding and increase possibilities of positive outcomes.
 
Our aim is to help participants learn and develop restorative peace-making skills that can be used both formally and informally in situations of conflict between individuals in a church setting – and beyond.
 
This will be of interest to ministers for CMD and for church leaders, elders, deacons and congregations who want to be equipped to make a difference using mediation skills.
 
The first and final days are on site at the Blackley Centre with three mornings on Zoom in between, plus webinars.
 
Last October Baptist ministers, including a regional minister and others participated in the five-session course. All the participants gave the course 5 out of 5 for the quality of the training…
 
”Wonderful expertise, clearly and openly communicated, a great atmosphere to learn.”
 
Participants rated the course very highly for how helpful they found it…
 

• “Excellent, insightful teaching and practice sessions”
• “Very well presented and organised, inspired me in a new area.”
• “I’ve found it hugely insightful from a personal perspective, from a wider learning perspective and building a new network.”
• “Very engaging and inspiring. Gave me enthusiasm as well as confidence in my skills.”

For more details of the course, with dates, times and booking visit: blackleycentre.co.uk/handling-conflict-well-course
 
Joanna Williams is a Baptist minister with more than 25 years experience of devising, and delivering high quality training in and for churches, colleges, and other organisations.
 
She is an experienced Trainer/Training Partner for Bridge Builders Ministries, delivering the Mediating Interpersonal Conflicts Course (15+yrs).
 
Joanna is a joint director of the Blackley Centre alongside husband Andy. The Centre offers a developing range of events, services and training for peace making.