Description
The main challenge for the Polish courts is the excessive time it takes to process a case, due to the steadily growing number of cases brought before the court and the limited use of alternative methods of dispute resolution. The objective of the project is to promote alternative methods of dispute resolution and thus support a more efficient judicial system. The project is to ensure that there is more knowledge and acceptance of mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution in the society and among judicial professionals. The project will start with a complex research on the overall condition of mediation to identify reasons for its lower than expected popularity. Then the Project Promoter will conduct an awareness-raising campaign about mediation and trainings for judges and prosecutors. The project will be implemented in partnership with the Norwegian Court Administration. The Partner will contribute by sharing their experience in promoting alternative methods of dispute resolution among Norwegian judges.
Summary of project results
The reason for implementing the project was an unsatisfactory level of knowledge among Polish citizens in this field. The expected outcomes of the project were: - gained knowledge about the reasons for low popularity of mediation, - disseminated knowledge about alternative methods of dispute resolution, including mediation. To achieve those outcomes three basic actions were carried out: 1. Research project, 2 . Trainings, 3. Information campaign. The final report from the research contains diagnosis of the condition of mediation application in Poland, indicates the reasons for too low popularity of mediation as compared to the expected as well as recommendations of future actions which are to result in increase in the application of mediation. Partial results from the research-diagnosis on the condition of mediation in Poland were used as a base material for planning and conducting two subsequent actions – trainings and information campaign. Trainings for judges, prosecutors, mediators and Police officers were conducted in 10 voivodships cities and were attended by approx. 1000 persons. A nationwide information campaign on mediation was conducted in the period February-March 2016. The basic activities of the campaign included: organization of 16 conferences in voivodship cities (which was attended by approx. 1600 persons); publication of a cycle of sponsored press articles and announcements in nationwide and regional dailies and weeklies (in total: 408 publications of articles and 204 broadcasts of announcements); promotion of mediation in social networks for the period of 8 weeks (Facebook – more than 150 posts, Twitter – more than 120 tweets, YouTube – 50 videos); development of a mobile application (available in online stores of Google Play and Apple Store, containing the detailed answers to questions concerning mediation and the database of more than 6000 mediators from all over Poland) and holding promotional events addressed to particular target groups. Furthermore, as a result of implementation of the project activities, a new website on mediation was created -
www.mediacja.gov.pl - where, among other materials concerning mediation, can be found a short information video on mediation. During the project implementation number of cases directed for mediation has increased: - base value: 10 398 cases directed for mediation in 2012; -target value: 12 000 cases directed for mediation in 2015; -achieved value: 16 569 cases directed for mediation in 2015;
Summary of bilateral results
The project "Promoting alternative methods of dispute resolution" was a partner project being implemented in cooperation with the Norwegian Courts Administration. The Norwegian experts were engaged in the project development stage and helped the Project Promoter to prepare project application. Throughout the project’s implementation, the following activities had the direct impact on strengthening bilateral relations : 1. study and expert visits of the representatives of the Project Beneficiary in Norway and the Norwegian experts in Poland, 2. participation of the Norwegian experts in the project activities, 3. participation of the Project Partner (NCA) in the project promoting activities, 4. current contact of the Project Beneficiary with the Coordinator on the side the Project Partner (NCA). According to the schedule of the concerned Project, participation of the Norwegian expert in the project activities (according to the Partnership Contract – consultations concerning methodology and conducting of a research-diagnosis on the condition of mediation in Poland), was completed on 9 March 2015 by way of consultation meetings in the seat of the Ministry of Justice in Warsaw (the meeting was attended by the Norwegian expert – judge of the court of appeals, the Contractor for the research, representatives of the Project Beneficiary) and in the form of contribution on function of the mediation institution in Norway for the final report from the research-diagnosis on the condition of mediation in Poland (materials were sent via e-mail in July 2015). In addition, the above mentioned Partnership Contract stipulated participation of two Norwegian experts (judges) in trainings implemented under the project activities. The visit took place on 23-24 February 2016 and was held in Gdansk. Two-day trainings conducted by two Norwegian experts with participation of two interpreters were conducted for a group of 25 judges. During training, the discussion concerned the so-called case studies and conducted simulations of mediation following the model of mediation conducted in Norway.