JADE role-play is a large part of what makes JADE unique. On average we have a role-play session once per month (although sometimes we just have a social gathering, called “Let’s Talk”). The sessions are generally between 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Most of our sessions begin with an informal introduction, as we go around the group and everyone introduces themselves. We then have an educational piece from our guest coach, to introduce the subject-matter of the session and to share some learning between all of us.
Then…the role-play! JADE members sign up in advance to observe, to play roles, and even to act as the mediator during the role-play. No worries if you haven’t been nominated for an Oscar yet – an hour into the role-play, and you’ll be ready to be the next Matt Damon or Meryl Streep. Yes, we are THAT supportive in the JADE community!
And no worries if you have never mediated a single dispute before. This is how all of us learn. Take the plunge. Volunteer for a mediator role, and with the help of the guest coach, and the support of all your fellow JADE members, you’ll get your feet wet. And even if you’ve mediated five hundred disputes, you already know that role-play let’s you try out your skills, refine them and gain even more confidence, in a completely safe and non-judgmental space. Role-play is the way mediators become great mediators. If you’re still a bit shy, signing up as an observer is a great way to see the process at work, and to gain access to the thought-process of mediators and also the parties to a dispute at a mediation.
Role-play helps break down the barriers we often put up, that sometimes prevent us from seeing our own potential. After the session we all give our feedback, and that’s how we learn what works, and often what doesn’t work. Role-play is drawing with a pencil and not a pen – we can go back and make changes if we decide we need those changes.
And role-play is fun. The JADE members learn while having fun, whether as a mediator, a player or as an observer.
By the end of each session, you’ll feel more confident about your own role as a dispute resolution student or practitioner, and you’ll see the process de-mystified. You will network professionally and very likely make a new friend (or many friends).
JADE’s strength is its members. Everyone who joins and attends a session contributes in their own, unique way. Just showing up is important, even if you don’t play a role – you are part of the community that supports everyone else in that community.
And don’t forget the group hugs, real or virtual, that end every session. They are symbolic of the many things that our members bring to JADE and also what they get out of JADE. Our role-plays and our group hugs are there to make sure that you never feel alone as a dispute resolution student or practitioner.
If you are an ADR practitioner and would like to volunteer as a guest coach for a role-play, reach out to us at admin@jadegroup.ca and let us know a little bit about you, and what topic you’d like to present. We can help you put together your session, including guidance in writing a role play. Guest coaches can claim 15 CEE points towards their Professional ADR designation for coaching a session, and 5 additional ones for writing a role play for a session.