

Information Session
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Gain the skills and experience to confidently mediate family conflict
Take advantage of Ontario’s only university family mediation program with this intensive Certificate in Family Mediation. You’ll gain the insights and practical experience you need to help families work together to resolve conflict in a practical and safe manner. This program will help you:
OSAP-eligible format offered
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Format: Intensive
Delivery: Live online classes and coaching sessions (4 days per week 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Program Length: 6 weeks
Term Starts: Summer
Part-Time Program: This program is also offered in a fully LIVE Online Part-Time Format.
The School of Continuing Studies at York University is an approved training provider with both the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM) and the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRIO).
York University’s Family Mediation Certificate meets the training requirements for the Accredited Family Mediator (AccFM) designation with OAFM – the largest accrediting body for Family Mediators in Ontario. Our graduates are also able to fulfill the training requirement to pursue the Certified Specialist in Family Mediation (FDRP Med) designation through FDRIO upon completion of 9 additional optional hours of training in family law, which is offered by FDRIO to York graduates at no cost.
More information can be found on the OAFM and FDRIO websites.
Many students in this program come from a variety of fields that interact with families, including but not limited to:
This is a direct registration program. No application process is required; simply enrol in the session of your choice to get started.
Short Intensive – (6 weeks) – Live Online with 3 On-Campus Days (Hybrid)
Participants will learn about the nature of conflict and conflict management, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes, negotiation with a focus on the interest-based negotiation model developed by the Harvard Program on Negotiation, and Mediation with an emphasis on facilitative mediation as applied in a family mediation context.
8 Classes
40 Hours
Participants will learn about the law-making systems in place in Canada, the legislative jurisdiction over family law, and the family justice system in Ontario. They will learn of the law pertaining to custody of and access to children, child support, spousal support, and property equalization and division. Participants learn how to search online for legislation, regulations, and reported decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada and the Ontario Court of Appeal. They will review statutory and case law. The instructor will demonstrate the use of computer software to determine potential financial support and property outcomes.
4 Classes
21 Hours
Participants will learn how a family mediation is commenced in an initial meeting with the parties. The instructor will inform them about the necessity to screen for domestic violence and power imbalance. The participants will review a precedent Family Mediation Agreement. They will learn how to plan and prepare for a family mediation. Through practice exercises, the participants will learn how to open a mediation, to facilitate the storytelling of the parties, to develop an agenda, and to prepare a Progress Report. In role-plays, they will practice mediating the negotiation and resolution of parenting, child support, spousal support, and property issues. They will learn how to overcome impasse and the use of caucus for this purpose. Participants will review settlement documents and prepare a Memorandum of Understanding. The course concludes with information about the principal family mediation organizations, the services they offer, the benefits of membership including the opportunity to acquire a professional designation, and the codes of ethics and standards of practice they developed and maintain. A variety of learning modalities is used including lecture, demonstrations, interactive experiential activities, and role-play.
4 Classes
21 Hours
The course in Screening for Domestic Violence and Power Imbalance informs participants of an essential element of the family mediation process required by all of the principal family mediation organizations. The instructor will inform the participants about domestic violence and power imbalance as phenomena that are characteristic of many families. The instructor will provide them with a screening instrument and they will role-play its application. The instructor will review the impact of what participants learn through screening, in particular, whether mediation is appropriate, and if so, those measures a mediator can take to ensure that he or she provides a safe environment. A variety of learning modalities are used including lecture, demonstrations interactive experiential activities, and role-play.
4 Classes
21 Hours
This course is an experiential application of the skills learned throughout the Family Mediation Certificate program. The trainer will combine lecture along with interactive learning activities including role-play to cover topics such as mobility, intergenerational issues, dealing with impasse, conflict analysis, unconscious and implicit bias, culture fluency, working with high-conflict behaviours, management of multiparty situations, drafting, and process design to address power imbalance. The course will include an overall comprehensive look at the mediation process and deepening of the mediator experience will be explored through reflective practice.
4 Classes
21 Hours
Please review the technology and software requirements you will need to access our courses remotely.
York University’s Certificate in Family Mediation will consider the following course exemptions:
CSFM1020 Family Law: Practicing family lawyers may be exempt if requested before program start.
CSFM1030 Family Relations: Registered Social Workers with extensive and recent training and experience with families may be exempt if requested before program start.
Please be advised that requests for exemption must be sent to cpehelp@yorku.ca before the start of the first course in the program, being CSFM1000 Family Mediation Fundamentals. Exemption requests received after this date will not be considered.
Please review the requirements from OAFM (the Ontario Associate for Family Mediation) and FDRIO (the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario) when considering an exemption request. Please note that these requirements for exemption will apply at the time when you apply for your accreditation.
OAFM: See “FIVE COURSES REQUIRED” section
FDRIO: See “EDUCATION/TRAINING” section
As CSFM1020-Family Law and CSFM1030-Family Relations are official components of this accredited program, should a student wish to pursue an exemption, it is the full responsibility of the student to confirm with OAFM, FDRIO or the accrediting body for any other designation that the student may wish to pursue that the criteria for the designation at the time of application will still be met. York University School of Continuing Studies bears no responsibility in this respect.
Please note that due to the accelerated nature of the Family Mediation Certificate, attendance is of paramount importance. In order to be eligible to receive the Certificate, full attendance and participation is necessary. This includes but is not limited to punctuality and arriving for class on time, remaining present for the duration of every class, responding when called upon, keeping your camera turned on during Zoom classes, and consistently participating actively and meaningfully each day.
In the event that you are unable to attend class, please email your instructor at the earliest opportunity, along with the SCS Office at cpehelp@yorku.ca. Valid documentation for any absences must be provided in a timely manner. Assuming that valid documentation is provided and approved by the Instructor and/or Administration, the student may be provided an extra assignment to complete if it is determined that the learning outcomes can still be achieved.
Please be advised that due to the accelerated delivery model of this Certificate, should a student miss more than one class in a course, the entirety of the course will need to be repeated at some future date. Hands-on practice is an essential component of the Family Mediation Certificate and therefore, should a student miss part or all of a coaching session for any reason, the student may be required to make up the entirety of that coaching session or the entirety of the course in a future offering. These determinations will be reached by the Instructor in advisement with the Administration. If there is not sufficient documentation to justify the absence(s), the course make-up will be at the student’s expense.
Ask us anything about this program and we’ll get back to you within 2 business days.