Waves of reconciliation podcast
The Mediation Pools podcast is the VERSO programme's own podcast.
a series discussing mediation and the restorative approach
related issues. The interviewees include both VERSO programme staff and
professionals, children and adults in the field. Welcome to listen!
Ronja and Veera from Kutose will answer our trainer Ann's interview questions based on their extensive peer mediation experience and give good tips for both parties, carers and supervising adults. What are fake versions and what to do when the parties call each other a pork sandwich? You can listen to the episode here!
Riikka Mäkeläinen, Vice Principal of Renkomäki School in Lahti, tells about their school's experiences on the road to restorative mediation through the eyes of both a Verso adult and a RESTO mediator. What does using Verso in everyday school life give and demand? Interviewed by our trainer Eeva Saarinen. You can listen to this episode of the Mediation Waves podcast here!
The waves of mediation washed ashore at a Finnish school on the Sunshine Coast, where most of the staff received RESTO training in spring 2025 to support Verso activities. The school has invested in preventive work and has already seen results from working with needs and fostering respectful encounters. In the section our trainer Nina interviews teacher Annaleea ’Annis’ Rantasta, who packed RESTO lessons in her backpack from Finland, and her mediation partner Sanna Hännis, a special needs teacher who has worked with her many times. You can listen to the episode here!
The 25th episode of our mediation waves podcast takes a look at vocational secondary education and the possibilities of mediation there from the perspective of an expert in the institution. Our educator Stiina interviewed Elli, a vocational school specialist. Together they discussed the initiation, challenges and benefits of mediation, and in particular peer mediation, in the everyday life of educational institutions. How can every young person's right to mediation also be realised in VET institutions? You can listen to the episode here!
The 24th episode of our Mediation Waves podcast now dives into youth conflicts. Our guests in the episode are Noora Luukka, Secretary General of Sakki ry, Aale Päivinen, President of Sakki ry, and Viivi Kalliomäki, a student at Turku Christian College and a recent peer mediator.
With Noora and Aale, we talk about Sakki's Safe Amus campaign, what should be taken into account in the prevention and resolution of conflicts among young people. And how can we better involve young people in student communities? Viivi explains what conflicts, how to deal with them and what community life looks like in everyday life at the college and why Verso also works to solve conflicts among young people. You can find the episode here, enjoy your listening time!
These Mediation Waves involve people from the Karisto school. Although Verso activities started at the height of the recession, this hasn't affected Verso at Karisto at all! What is their secret to being active? How can you reconcile despite the pandemic? Why is Verso important for the whole school? Joining us to discuss their success are RESTO-trained Verso adults Heidi and Taija, as well as two Verso students interviewed by Angelica, or ”ica”. Also in the spotlight are comments from 2nd grade students who have been active in peer mediation. Listen to the Mediation Waves podcast episode here.
This time, the Konkari-Versos will have the chance to share their experiences of being a peer mediator. They will also talk about how the corona period has affected their mediation work and the conflicts they face in school. The episode can be found here. Happy listening!
This episode introduces SSF's new Mediation Online project, a low-threshold helpline for all everyday conflicts. Let's let SoVe workers tell us who they are and what it's all about. You can listen to the podcast episode of Mediation Waves here!
In this exceptional episode, we find out how Spring 2020 has affected the VERSO programme. Jump into our Teams discussion to hear how the challenges of remote working have been overcome and what's planned for next autumn! You can listen to the episode as usual here!
Did you know that there are many types of mediation in Finland? In this special episode of VERSO, Jaro interviews Jens Gellin, mediator at the Centre for Neighbourhood Mediation, about their mediation work, how it started and what they have in common with VERSO. Listen to the episode in the usual way here and read more about neighbourhood mediation at www.naapuuruussovittelu.fi
In Section 18, we look at mediation in early childhood education and care from the perspective of the statistics we have collected! What do the numbers tell us and what stories might lie behind them? In the studio, Nelli talks to Janne, education planner at Verso, and Jaro, education planner at MiniVerson. Listen to the episode as usual here!
Why is it that peer mediation is mediated by trained students and not by adults in the school? What happens if the situation is not resolved in Verso? What is learned in Verso? In this episode we go through Verso's Frequently Asked Questions, with our Programme Manager Maija Gellin and Verso trainer Anni Koivunen in the studio to answer questions. Listen to the episode here!
How can you reconcile with little ones? What to do if no agreement can be reached? Or if the dispute recurs or the solution does not suit the carers? In this episode, MiniVerson training designer and trainer Jarmo ”Jaro” Holopainen answers a total of fifteen frequently asked questions about mediation in early childhood education and care. Jaro is interviewed in the studio by our mentoring coordinator Nina Huhtinen. You can listen to the episode here!
In this episode MiniVerson's training planner Jarmo ”Jaro” Holopainen interviews MiniVerson mentors Emmi and Maria from Tuusula about their views on teaching mediation skills to children through drama and other means. The interview was recorded in connection with a national mentor meeting in Tampere and Emmi and Mari had presented a table theatre performance Three Little Dwarfs the day before at our seminar, in the style of MiniVerson. Listen to the episode here!
In episode 14, our Mentoring Coordinator Nina interviews VERSO Programme Director Maija Gellin about her PhD thesis ”Restorative approaches and mediation in the primary school context. Towards a culture of integrative encounter”. If you are new to the concept of restorative justice, we recommend you read the section on Restorativeness on our website before you listen. You can find the episode as usual here.
How to introduce mediation to children already in early childhood education and care? What happens during mediation and how do you feel afterwards? Iida and Piipi, the trainers of the MiniTeam, now interviewed Jenna, a pre-schooler, about her mediation experiences in a day care centre using MiniVerso. This time the podcast episode is shorter, but worth it: using MiniVerson brings the life skills of mediation into the everyday life of young children and at the same time allows them to play the role of co-learners as adults! Listen to the episode here!
How does Verso work on the primary school side? How important are the rules of the game perceived to be? In this episode, Saaga and Benjaming, peer mediators on the primary school side, share their own experiences and thoughts on Verso and its rules of the game. They are interviewed by Laura Taumaa. Surf along to Mediation Waves to hear more! Find the episode here!
How do secondary school pupils think peer mediation works? What has been learned, what has been challenging and what kinds of cases have been mediated? Our Verso trainer Laura Taumaa had the chance to interview Top and Inna, who were Versos at their school. Jump on the waves to hear what they have to say! Listen to the episode The Waves of Mediation podcast.
Professor Tim Chapman, President of the European Forum for Restorative Justice, visited Helsinki in early spring for the Mediators' Days and we caught up with him on the Waves of Mediation. Who is Tim Chapman and how is he involved in the VERSO programme? What does Tim have to say about restorative justice and mediation? Tim is interviewed by Laura Taumaa and Nina Huhtinen. This time the podcast is in English, but you can find the Finnish version of the interview in the Ajankohtaista section, as Tim is also featured in our newsletter! Listen to the episode here!
This time on Mediation Waves, we talk about MiniVerso from a learning perspective. Do only children learn in mediation? MiniVerso trainers Piipi Hiltunen and Iida Lehtimäki talk to the people of the Helsinki house. Listen to the episode here!
What happens when Verso students grow up? How will peer mediation affect their lives later on? Do you need to be a model student to be a good mediator? What do you learn in mediation? We invited Kanerva, Mimosa and Sampsa, who were mediator apprentices in secondary school, to discuss these topics with us. As usual, they will be interviewed by Laura Taumaa. Listen to the podcast episode of Mediation Waves here!
What does MiniVerso bring to the nursery? Everyday life experts from Mikkeli reflect on this topic in this episode. Interviewed are training planner Jarmo ’Jaro’ Holopainen and trainer Piipi Hiltunen from MiniVerso. Join us on the waves! The episode is available to listen to here!
All VERSO activities have their own podcast and this time it's time to make the voice of the field heard! Verso and Resto have a long tradition in Kuusamo, and we got two long-time mediators from there to tell us what's going on. Can mediation take root in everyday life? What does the change in culture look like in everyday life? Jaana and Olli answer these questions! Our programme director Maija Gellin and the familiar presenter Laura Taumaa will also be in the studio to discuss the topic! Listen to the episode here!
The beginning of a new semester always means the start of mediation activities, both in educational institutions and in early response units. How could you benefit from the VERSO mentoring programme? Who exactly is involved in mentoring? And what do you do there? In this podcast episode, we are joined by mentoring coordinator Nina Huhtinen and trainers Piipi Hiltunen and Iida Lehtimäki. Hosted by VERSO trainer Laura Taumaa. Listen to the episode here!
Can small children be reconciled? How can non-speaking people get involved? Aren't they too small? Come to the waves to hear how mediation is possible in early childhood education. In this podcast episode, the MiniVerson team, training designer Jarmo Holopainen and trainers Piipi Hiltunen and Tiina Nurmi, are the guests. As usual, the host is VERSO trainer Laura Taumaa. Listen to the episode here!
RESTO team. What is a Resto course? Who is it for and what happens there? In this episode of the Mediation Waves podcast, our guests are Maija Gellin, Programme Director of the VERSO programme, Eeva Saarinen, Training Manager, Janne Johansson, Training Designer and Trainer. Hosted by VERSO trainer Laura Taumaa. The episode is available to listen to here!
The Verso team. How does peer mediation work in educational institutions? Can children and young people mediate with each other? The second podcast of the VERSO programme answers these questions! Our guests are VERSO training planner, trainer Janne Johansson and trainer Leena Saarela. Hosted by VERSO trainer Laura Taumaa. The episode is available to listen to here!
In the first podcast episode of the Finnish Mediation Forum's VERSO programme, Maija Gellin, Programme Director of the VERSO programme, and Eeva Saarinen, Training Manager of the VERSO programme, tell how the VERSO programme started in 2001. Hosted by VERSO trainer Laura Taumaa. The episode is available to listen to here!