Preventing and Managing Conflict

Preventing and managing conflict in schools

This program provides school leaders with the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to be competent and confident in preventing, working with, and resolving conflicts in the education community, particularly conflicts with parents and carers.

Participants will explore a framework for understanding how disputes arise and are resolved. This includes identifying and managing triggers in others, understanding and managing your own responses to disputes, rebuilding effective working relationships and building the framework for a workable outcome.

Audience

Designed for principals, assistant principals and middle leaders

Facilitators

Frank Handy, Chair, Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution

Frank has extensive experience and qualifications in alternative dispute resolution. He has over 25 years of experience in Australia, Canada, the UK, the US and other countries, resolving disputes, consulting for organisations, and educating people about conflict management, with a wide variety of private and government organisations.

Structure of program

Face-to-face workshop (1 full day, 8.30 am - 4.30 pm)

Learning outcomes

You’ll gain knowledge and understanding of:

• implementing effective conflict-reducing decision-making processes
• preventing unnecessary conflict through recognition and acknowledgement of differences and using effective listening skills to build positive working relationships
• using effective listening skills to de-escalate escalated emotional responses and to establish or re-build positive working relationships
• learning the skills to manage conflict beginning with the application of prevention concepts, and working right through to resolving dispute situations.

Fees and financial support

Fully subsidised by the Department of Education for Victorian government school participants.

See Fees and financial support for more information.