A small Common Concern Team needs to form to help the process move smoothly. This group works under the direction of the leadership group. Typically it is made up of a person or two from leadership, a board and faculty member and often a parent council representative. Initially this group meets once every couple of weeks.  This can go to once a month in the second year of the training process.

The training process is two years. This involves the Common Concern team being given access to a library series of short videos and audios with Kim that overviews the key principles and also gives specific  tools to work through social tensions. These videos and audios can be either viewed individually at home or during a Common Concern team meetings. Written material is also available in the online training & resource library that we curate and update.

Like most new initiatives, time and care is needed especially at the beginning of the process. Initially time needs to be allocated for the development of Living Community Principles and Healthy Communication agreements.  Around 30 minutes in each of a small series of meetings is usually enough.  Most faculties like to renew this each year in their work/planning days before the students return at the beginning of the school year.

The clear feedback we have received is that an online training has significant benefits ... It is less disruptive to the school schedule, which means it allows for well paced implementation throughout the year. It is cost effective as the consultant does not need to have travel costs covered. It gives the Common Concern team an ongoing professional development focus throughout the year.

Twice each year we run a three hour live on-line training session (total 6 hours).  These take place in the fall and spring semester.  Our Training Director leads these sessions.  Small groups of schools gather together to be guided through the training material and share their experiences.

If you register in the months between these training sessions you can view the recording, after which a follow up live Zoom based meeting with a trainer will be held to debrief and deepen. 

Yes.  Once you have completed the registration process the Training & Resource Library is open to your group.  It is laid out in a very easy to follow training sequence.  This will give you a very good foundation for your first live online training session.

In addition, if you have a situation come up that needs attention right away, someone on our team will co-facilitate with you.

Yes, our our Center can offer up to four hours of co-facilitation.  This means that one person from your Common Concern team works together with our Center's mediator who is present and active in the meeting, via Zoom, with the folk who are in need of mediation.

The Common Concern Group facilitate discussion in the faculty meeting based on what they learnt in the videos, audio and written content.  Proactive agreements such as what are our "Living Community Principles"?  What are are "Healthy Communication" standards? When does an honest exchange "Cross the Line" and become devising?

There are also professional development topics that help faculty warm relationships that have become cold, and cool relationships that have become overheated.  They also learn how to run successful parent teacher conferences.

Specific hints and tips are given about how to present the tools and strategies to the faculty.

The training costs $7,850/year.

Outside mediation companies are extremely expensive.  Typically they charge around $5,000-8,000 per dispute, or $1,000 per hour.

Presentations/lectures to the parent and wider community are not included please contact us for details.

Yes. Like all structures, this process also benefits from the ongoing support and maintenance. This takes the form of four, one hour live on-line meetings with our Training Coordinator.  You also receive continued access to the ever expanding training & resource library.