From Northern Ireland to Angola to a dispute over a field in Co Kildare - we live in a conflict-ridden world. Each crisis is the signal for the posting of a mass of home-grown solutions on a thousand web sites. Commenting recently on how the Kosovan crisis could be tackled, Dr Jan Oberg, director of the Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research in Sweden faulted the diplomats for their "lack of professional knowledge and training in conflict analysis, conflict psychology, social issues and mediation techniques". Tell that to Mo. Or Bill. Or Boris.

Mediation is an enlightened form of negotiation which works by bringing the competing individuals or groups together with a trained mediator who helps them find their own solutions. Internationally mediation is being used to resolve workplace disputes, provide an alternative to jail and combat bullying in schools. Mediation is gaining ground in Ireland also (see panel), with a new Diploma in Mediation Studies beginning in University College Dublin this autumn. The one-year part-time course is for people interested in developing a career in mediation or to use mediation skills as part of their work. Course modules will cover commercial, community, marital, and victim-offender mediation, bullying and multi-party disputes involving peacemaking in the political sphere.

Mediator Delma Sweeney is one of the course directors: "Mediation looks at a situation through a different lens," she says. "You can help someone to understand which of their needs are possible to fulfil and which may not be. It may involve reframing the issue or the problem.

The diploma course which meets the Mediators Institute Ireland standards for Part 1 Accreditation is organised by the Faculty of Philosophy and Sociology in association with the University Industry Programme, the Family Mediation Service and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. A primary degree or relevant experience is necessary, and there are 25 places.

There is, suggests Geoffrey Corry, chairperson of the Mediators Institute, great scope for mediation. Since 1994 he has facilitated 26 political dialogue workshops in Glencree which brought together politicians of all shades of opinion in Northern Ireland and the republic. "It's relationship building," he says, "one of the effects was that when it came to negotiating the Good Friday agreement the links had been made which was a great help".

Corporate mediation is beginning here too.

The mediator uses some of the skills in counselling, but is more pragmatic, dealing with the here and now. Potential for mediation also exists in dealing with planning applications, community flashpoints between settlers and travellers, local environmental issues and more.

In New Zealand mediation is used as part of restorative justice in recognising the rights of crime victims - and keeping young people out of prison. Cases involving juveniles may be diverted from the youth courts to a conference involving family, victim, offender and mediator. Instead of prosecution, there may be an agreed plan of action which might include an apology, a curfew, community work and victim reparation. Court proceedings are withdrawn if the plan is carried out. Ian O'Donnell, director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, feels the system could work here: "The Children Bill 1996 incorporates some restorative principles in proposing that the family group conference will be a key part of the juvenile justice system."

Australian schools have developed a system of mediation which trains pupils as classroom mediators with a focus on bullying. As well as resolving disputes, the approach offers young people new skills and another way of responding to problems. Audrey O'Carroll of the Tallaght Community Mediation Scheme is aware of this wider value: "It's about empowering people, and some of the skills translate, we are offering lifeskills", she says. Sweeney agrees: "I hope our society as a whole is moving to a more mature place where we can no longer have our politicians as gods, and we begin to grow up and take responsibility for our own issues.

In Ireland so far, mediation has been applied mainly in the family sphere - helping couples create a mutually agreed separation agreement which can be taken to a solicitor for ratification. But relatively few separating couples avail of this service. Under existing divorce legislation, lawyers merely have to discuss mediation with clients, not refer them. "Mediation affirms what is possible between the couple," she explains. "Even if they can't agree about anything, perhaps they both speak positively about the children, so it's about using any building blocks that are there and building on that."

One of the most powerful arguments in favour of separation mediation is the benefit to the children. "It's not the fact parents separate that determines how things will be for children later on, it's how they separate," says Sweeney. "Indeed some studies indicate that young adults whose parents separated well and justly have better coping skills than the norm because of what they learnt through the process". Finally, to end where we began - on the political front. A basic level of trust is necessary for mediation, and this is in short supply both in the Balkans and Northern Ireland and other international trouble spots.

"The Glencree model is relevant here," says Corry, "in the absence of trust at top level, you work at sub-leadership level, helping people learn a new language which they bring back with them. In some encounters we facilitated between Sinn Fein and loyalist representatives, we encouraged people to tell the story of their lives. So you would have loyalists talking about growing up in east Belfast, and you would have the Sinn Fein people talking about growing up in west Belfast . . . What happens then is the humanity behind each position comes through and these can be significant moments. The future work in Northern Ireland will be about political healing, and there will be a significant role for mediation and relationship building in that."

Information on the UCD course is available from Continuing Professional Education, University Industry Programme, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, tel: 01-7068712/14, email: amharvey@macollamh.ucd.ie

Mediators Institute Ireland 79 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, telephone 01-6618488