Conference

“Weaving the thread of understanding – peer mediation”

Conflicts are part of life – in the family, school and work. Is it possible to learn to deal with them in a constructive way? During the conference summarizing the nearly two-year project “Communication Building Understanding” implemented by the Understanding Foundation from Krakow in cooperation with the Icelandic partner Art of Living, we proved that YES!

During the conference:
● we discussed what peer mediation is,
● we presented the design materials and showed how to use them,
● we have drawn attention to the benefits and pitfalls of teaching mediation,
● we shared ideas for building a conflict resolution system at school.

The conference was also an opportunity to meet the authors of the project:
🌟 Marta Kułaga – a certified trainer of Nonviolent Communication, mediator and facilitator of dialogue, supporting groups in resolving conflicts.
🌟 Magdalena Kosicka-Leszczyńska – a certified trainer of Nonviolent Communication, court mediator and legal advisor, who conducts training in mediation and communication on a daily basis.

We would like to thank all participants for their commitment and joint reflections. Together, we have created a space to build deeper relationships and acquire skills that support understanding and understanding in every situation.

Conference program:

Host: Wanda Skorny-Roszkowska


BLOCK 1: About the project – What?
10.00 – 10.15 Opening of the Understanding Foundation
10.15 – 10.35 Marta Kułaga, Magdalena Kosicka Leszczyńska About the project and how to use design materials
10.35 – 10.45 Interludes – Marzena breathing techniques
10.45 – 11.30 Magda Kosicka Leszczyńska: Peer mediation in the legal system. School Peer Mediation System
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – coffee break

BLOCK 2: Real-life – How?
12.00 – 12.30 Kasia Dworaczyk – mini mediation
12.30 – 13.00 Monika Szczepanik – case study conflict resolution in the Secondary School Miejsce
13.00 – 13.30 Aneta Jakubiak Mirończuk – The idea of restorative justice
13.30 – 14.00 – coffee break

BLOCK 3: New qualities in the world – Why?
14.00 – 15.00 panel discussion – Conflicts are part of life – Let’s learn to go through them
EXPERT PANEL: Aneta Jakubiak Mirończuk, Katarzyna Dworaczyk, Monika Szczepanik, Karolina Sender, Marta Kułaga, Magda Kosicka Leszczyńska

Meet our speakers

Marta Kułaga

Certified trainer of Nonviolent Communication (www.cnvc.org), coach (2013-2014 School of Professional Coaching, 2015 Needs-Based Coaching), graduate of the School of Trainers of Empathy-Based Communication (2010-2013), mediator (2016-2017 Yoram Mozenson’s Mediation Course). Facilitator of dialogue and support in resolving group conflicts.

Magda Kosicka-Leszczyńska

Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication, Mediator, Legal Advisor. She started her work with conflict as a lawyer. Since 2010 She conducts trainings in the field of communication and mediation for schools, kindergartens, institutions, and open groups. She is a court mediator and resolves collective conflicts. Her true passion is working with young people and supporting young people of different age groups in resolving conflicts. This work gives her the most joy – the speed at which young people are able to come to understand each other, their curiosity, but also the challenges that do not arise in the world of adult training, give opportunities for intensive development and diversity. Magda’s own children constantly give her room to practice. Magda cooperates on a permanent basis with the District Court in Zamość, conducting peer mediation programs as well as lectures and trainings for students and teachers. She mediated school conflicts in schools in the Lublin Voivodeship. Since 2012 She has been a court mediator, including since 2016. She is entered on the list of permanent mediators, works as a mediator at the Centre for Arbitration and Mediation at the Catholic University of Lublin, the Centre for Economic Mediation at the National Chamber of Legal Advisers, and the Foundation of the District Chamber of Legal Advisers in Lublin “I Know the Law”.

Monika Szczepanik

Educator, leader, trainer, mother of two daughters. Founder of the High School of Place in Katowice. A few years as a headmistress, and from this year as a deputy director for didactics at SSP Nasza Dobra Szkoła. NVC trainer working with parents, teachers, social leaders. She works to support girls and Women. I organize summer and winter camps for families and workshop trips for women. Her passion is swimming on SUPs.

Aneta Jakubiak Mirończuk

For 25 years, he has been scientifically and practically passionate about mediation and other ways of resolving conflicts, including publishing books and articles, as well as conducting trainings and lectures. Doctor of law and legal advisor. In the years 2016 – 2021 as Deputy Director of the Department of Strategy and European Funds in Ministry of Justice was, among others. responsible for court mediation and free legal assistance. As a representative of the Ministry of Justice, as part of the Polish Qualifications Framework, she co-created the qualifications: Conducting judicial and out-of-court mediation in civil cases and Conducting judicial and out-of-court mediation in commercial cases. She initiated and implemented projects supporting mediation in courts, improving qualifications by mediators and cooperation between judges and mediators.

Katarzyna Dworaczyk

A therapist, a mediator, an internal mediator, is constantly looking for ways for people to understand each other and themselves. Since she learned about Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication over ten years ago, she has been integrating it into her life: at work, during training and in the family. After the birth of her daughter and the completion of the certification process as a Court Mediator in 2013, she gathered her experience from business, combined it with the processes she learned during workshops and created the SNO method of resolving conflicts with and between children. Since then, she has been cooperating with kindergartens, schools and institutions throughout Poland, conducting workshops, lectures and webinars.

Marzena Przybylska

French teacher, intercultural assistant, yoga and breathing techniques trainer. She has been involved in helping refugees since the beginning of the war. She conducts free classes in yoga, meditation and breathing techniques for refugees in Krakow. Associated with the Art of Living Poland organization.

More about the EEA project “Communication Building Understanding” HERE

i️ The project called “Communication Building Understanding” benefited from funding worth EUR 122,871.00. The total amount of funding awarded in 85% was co-financed from the funds received from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Grants and in 15% from the state budget. The aim of the project, which we carried out with the Icelandic partner Art of Living Iceland, was to develop tools for the introduction of effective communication and peaceful and constructive resolution of disputes and problems in the communities of children and young people.