Family Mediator

Government of Alberta•Edmonton, AB

1d•CA$37,482 - CA$48,453•Onsite

About The Position

The Alberta Public Service works to build a stronger province for current and future generations. We make a difference in the lives of Albertans through rewarding and diverse career opportunities. The Court and Justice Services (CJS) Division provides a wide range of resolution and court services for people involved in legal disputes. In collaboration with the courts of Alberta, Court and Justice Services provides various programs and services including educating and helping Albertans finding solutions for legal issues, navigating the court system, offering programs at no cost or a nominal charge, and administrative support to all courts in Alberta. Are you an experienced Family Mediator skilled at working with families seeking resolution to parenting, guardianship, and child support disputes? Come join the Business and Resolution Services team in a rewarding position located in Edmonton.

Requirements

Excellent conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation skills including multi-party and high conflict mediation.
Strong knowledge and ability to apply skills required for an interest-based/facilitative/non-evaluative style of mediation.
Strong knowledge of child development and the needs of children in a separation or divorce.
Strong assessment skills to foster mediator and practitioner development.
Strong organizational skills to handle the volume and complexity of work.
Ability to work well in a team environment and independently.
Ability to work with sensitive and complex matters involving families and children.
A minimum of 180 hours of Mediation, and/or Alternative Dispute Resolution, and/or Conflict Management training is required, of which at least 40 hours must be in the area of separation and divorce or family mediation. Please clearly indicate in your resume the specific courses, the number of hours of training for each, and the organization or training institution where the training was completed.
Completion of one of the following is also a requirement: Bachelor of Social Work with some related experience, OR Master of Social Work (no experience required), OR Related University Degree (e.g. Dispute Resolution, Sociology, Psychology, Law, etc.) and 2 years related experience; OR Related Diploma and 3 years related experience; OR Related Certificate and 4 years related experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing interest-based/facilitative/non-evaluative mediation services for families.
Strong knowledge, supplemented by experience, of theoretical models, specialized techniques, and practical and theoretical procedures related to mediation and alternative dispute resolution.
Experience facilitating alternative dispute resolution processes, such as mediation, for families experiencing parental conflict and/or going through separation or divorce.
Proficient in using technology to mediate remotely and use client relationship software to manage client information and appointments.

Responsibilities

Screen and assess cases to determine if family mediation is appropriate.
Conduct pre-mediation sessions to ensure parties understand their options and are prepared to proceed, including providing appropriate resources and screening for safety concerns.
Provide non-evaluative, facilitative, client-focussed, ethical approach to mediation.
Enter into service agreements with clients.
Use effective strategies in high conflict situations.
Help parties address needs and interests, focusing on best interests of the children.
Possess knowledge of relevant Family Law.
Provide written summary of agreements for clients.
Assist parties in adjusting to new family structure and circumstances.
Engage in peer consultation and co-mediation as a means of maintaining and enhancing professional standards and performance levels.
Consult with Family Court Counsellors, Case flow Coordinators and other department, government, and community agencies regarding appropriateness of mediation as a means of resolving disputes.
Participate in government and community-based agencies, boards, or groups to provide links between Resolution Services and the community.