Why I trained as a PPC?

Why I trained as a PPC?

Date Posted: December 3, 2021

I started my career in 2001 working as a mental health nurse. I had regular  1:1 and group supervision sessions with my supervisor and my peers.  I found this support invaluable. When I qualified as a solicitor I was shocked by the different culture and the complete lack of  any form of holistic support structure.

I trained as a family mediator whilst pregnant with my eldest child in 2008 and become accredited in 2010. My PPC supported me hugely the accreditation process, provided me with hours of support and help, without which I do not think I would have completed the process. I work with the same PPC 11 years on and I still find her support invaluable.  I have regular 1:1 supervision and am a member of a supervision group in Yorkshire through which a number of us meet virtually on a regular basis. Some of the sessions are hosted by our PPC and some are peer support sessions.

As mediators we deal with very difficult situations on a daily basis, we hold emotions, grapple with complex and challenging issues and more often than not we work alone. Support therefore is extremely important.

I decided to train as a PPC in 2012 in part because I am interested in training and I wanted to be able to team work and help new mediators through the process just as my PPC helped me. Being a PPC provides a number of opportunities which I would say are as follows:-

  • Team working through group supervision and opportunities to co-mediate with other mediators’;
  • Giving something back – none of us would be accredited mediators without the support of our own PPC’s;
  • Income – PPC hours are charged and you have a contract with your supervisees.  Whilst it can be daunting at first supervising new qualified mediators through the accreditation process both as to the responsibility and the time commitment it can be very rewarding and it is important to be aware that there is an extra 10 hours of work which can be claimed to assist with the process;
  • Networking – there are a regular training days and on-line Zoom forums to enable us to share ideas and keep in touch;
  • Growing your practice – taking on newly trained family mediators and supporting them through the accreditation process can help you to organically grow your own mediation practice.

I find that I get a lot of supervision both in terms of individual sessions and group supervisions sessions which I engage in as a supervisor and as a supervisee.

The FMA run regular foundation courses for PPC’s. If you are interested in finding out then do contact us at info@thefma.co.uk for more information.

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