Preventing and Managing Conflict

This program provides school leaders with the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to prevent and manage conflict in schools.

Participants will learn how to confidently prevent and resolve conflicts in the education community, particularly when it comes to working 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

• Master conflict prevention strategies. Implement effective decision-making and listening skills to reduce friction before it escalates.
• De-escalate intense emotional responses. Use targeted communication to manage high-pressure situations and re-establish positive relationships with parents and carers.
• Navigate a professional dispute framework. Apply a structured approach to understand how conflicts are triggered and resolved within a school context.
• Build sustainable schoolwide outcomes. Move through the full cycle of conflict management, from early prevention to reaching workable, long-term resolutions. 

Frank Handy 

Frank is the current chairperson for the Independent Office of School Dispute Resolution and has more than 25 years’ experience in helping people resolve disputes, particularly in education, industry associations and workplaces.

Frank has worked 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.

Roles

Principal-class intakes are designed for Victorian government school principals and assistant principals.

Teacher and other staff intakes are designed for Victorian government school:

• system leaders (SEILs and EILs)
• leading teachers
• learning specialists
• classroom teachers
• teachers with specific leadership roles such as year level leaders or PLC leaders
• business managers
• education support staff
• department corporate staff members. 

School sectors

This program is only available to the Victorian Government school sector.

Delivery

This program is delivered through:

• Face-to-face workshop (1 full day, 8.30 am - 4.30 pm)
• Online discussion and coaching (1-hour).

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.

We subsidise some program fees to align with education priorities in Victoria.

Financial support

Victorian school participants may be eligible for additional subsidies.

Fees and financial support