Carol Hope - Involving young people in conflict resolution

In this #videoCALM interview, mediator Scott Docherty chats with Carol Hope of hopemediation.co.uk. Carol has practiced and developed mediation for decades and been instrumental in bringing peer mediation and conflict resolution skills to young people & families throughout Scotland. In the interview Carol talks about the benefits to young people of involving them in the mediation process, and tackles some of the big questions this might raise for separating parents working through their issues. She explains in very simple terms what the process will look like for kids and parents within a child-inclusive mediation, including the kind of safeguards necessary to make sure it's not abused by the parents and that the kids involved will feel genuinely listened to. Flowing from this idea of helping young people through their parents' conflict, Carol goes on to explain how peer mediation can blood children early on in school with problem solving, conflict resolution skills they can then take with them throughout life, and why such a vital knowledge and approach to conflict might benefit from forming part of the mainstream system of education in Scotland. Please excuse the one swear word near the end - it is, after all, a direct quote from a child!...