There are several ways for you to volunteer at CRCMC. Check out the list below and feel free to give us a call if you have any questions.
For more specific and up to date Volunteer Opportunities - See our Volunteer News page.
Volunteer Mediator information is at the bottom of the page.
If you are already a CRCMC volunteer and are looking for a specific event to volunteer for please visit our Volunteer Calendar or visit our Volunteer News page.
Outreach Committee- The Outreach Committee spreads the word about CRCMC throughout the County.
Development Committee- The Development Committee looks for sources of funding for CRCMC. If you have experience with fundraising, especially for non-profits, this may be of interest to you.
Translating
At home - If you would like to donate an hour here or there and you are fluent in another language, consider translating a few documents for us. It's a volunteer opportunity that you can do from home!
At a mediation - Fluent speakers of Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, American Sign Language, and others are needed occasionally to interpret speakers at mediation sessions into English. The time commitment is usually about 3 hours per mediation. No mediation experience needed, however an appreciation and understanding of confidentiality is a must.
Volunteer Opportunities that Require Training
Dialogue Circles
Facilitators lead the Dialogue Circles and facilitate discussions within the group.
Requirements: Basic mediation training and an additional 3 hr training.
Commitment: Contact us for further information.
Intake
This is a great way to practice your reflective listening skills! Handle telephone requests for mediations.
Requirements: Basic mediation training and a 10hr intake training.
Commitment: Minimum of 4 hrs a month (approximately one morning or afternoon a month)
Community Conferencing
Requirements: Two and a half day training in Baltimore and a $250 cost.
Commitment: Observe two cases and facilitate 4 cases or donate 20 hours in services over the course of one year. Morning and afternoon availability is a plus.
Facilitation
Requirements: Basic mediation training and a 20hr facilitation training.
Commitment: Contact us for further details.
Training Others in Conflict Management
Requirements: Basic mediation training and a 2 day "Train the Trainer" training.
Commitment: Sign up for a minimum of 6 trainings a year.
Mediation
Requirements: 50 hour training (Inclusive Model) over the course of 2 - 3 weeks, after which you must complete a minimum of 2 observations of real mediations and an apprenticeship with experienced mediators.
Commitment: Volunteer 100 hours over the course of the year following the training.
See "Volunteer as a Mediator" section below for further details on the Basic Mediation Training and mediating for us in general.
If you are interested in volunteering for any of the above opportunities or if you have any questions contact us at 301-652-0717 OR fill out our form online.
Mediation program applicants READ BELOW!
Volunteers receiving the Conflict Resolution Day Award
Volunteer as a Mediator
♦ Next mediation training is planned for February 2012 ♦
Application to be Considered for Volunteer Mediator Training (Word document) IMPORTANT: Read below BEFORE submitting an application. ♦ You may submit an application to be considered for the next training, Rick Buccheri will contact you when your application has been received. A few months before the scheduled training we will be contacting and interviewing only those who have submitted applications. ♦ ♦ Contact Rick Buccheri at rick@crcmc.org or 301-652-0717 if you are interested. ♦
For those seeking training:CRCMC offers free mediation training to Montgomery County residents who commit to volunteering as mediators with CRCMC. The frequency of our trainings and the screening process for mediator trainees is guided by community needs in Montgomery County. We are always looking for people with multiple language skills, varied backgrounds, education levels, and socio-economic statuses. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a mediator, contact us!
For those already trained as mediators: If you would like to be added to our roster, have already received the 40-50 hour training and are interested in volunteering with us, you may submit an application. Beginning in 2011 we will only be accepting mediators that have been trained in the Inclusive model. Please send your application to: rick@crcmc.org. Mediators trained outside of CRCMC may be required to participate in additional trainings or take a Basic Mediation Course again before volunteering as a mediator with CRCMC.
There are no previous educational requirements to be eligible for our training.
NEXT TRAINING DATES:You must be able to attend all dates and times. Missing just 3 or more hours of training will automatically exclude you from completing the training.
Saturday 2/4/12, 9a-5pm;
Sunday 2/5/12, 9a-5:30pm;
Saturday 2/11/12, 9a-5:30pm;
Sunday 2/12/12, 9a-5:30pm;
Saturday 2/18/12, 9a-5:30pm;
Sunday 2/19/12, 9a-5pm
The Basic Mediation Training and Apprenticeship program through CRCMC includes the following: - 45 hours of mediation training - apprenticeship program, which consists of: - observing two mediations - co-mediating at least two mediations with an experienced mediator - mediating over the course of a year with other mediators - 5 hours of follow-up training - regular continuing education opportunities
The basic mediation training is based on experiential learning. Experiential learning builds skills sequentially by incorporating past experiences with conflict, as well as new experiences that will be created in the training through games and activities. Because this type of training relies heavily on group participation, individuals who miss 1 hour of training will not receive a mediator certificate and those who miss 3 hours of training will be asked not to return to the group and try again another time. Trainees who cannot complete the training due to unexpected emergencies may have the opportunity to restart their training with a new group.
Upon completion of all 50 hours of training and the apprenticeship mediators receive their certificate and are required to: - volunteer 100 hours over the course of one year - volunteer for outreach, fundraising activities, or other needed activities - attend some continuing education classes (provided regularly at CRCMC) to continue to build skills. - participate in the Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence (MPME). This is a statewide quality assurance program that requires mediators to commit to continuous learning and skill building and is free to join. For more information on MPME please visit www.marylandmacro.org.
CRCMC is dedicated to its volunteers’ growth and offers free trainings, opportunities to build new skills (i.e. facilitation and training skills), mentoring programs, and an open supportive community. We thank you for your support in promoting free mediation services to the Montgomery County community.
