The course Managing Conflict with Confidence is based on some of the steps of conflict resolution as designed by the Conflict Resolution Network. The Conflict Resolution Network was founded by the United Nations Association of Australia in 1986.

Activities have been adapted and Sessions have been added to make the content relevant for school students.

Outcomes for school students

Students will:
• be more aware of their own behaviour and other peoples’ behaviour
• have a knowledge of what are effective ways of managing conflict, ie, doing what gets their needs met, and knowing what is not effective, ie doing what does not get their needs met
• rehearse and acquire skills and strategies
• be empowered with courage and resilience enabling them to make appropriate behavioural changes that they deem necessary
• gain a rich and accessible vocabulary that will enable them to describe conflict
• be able to accept their part in conflict
• have improved relationships with their peers and others
• have a frame work of skills and strategies from which they can draw on, now and for the rest of their lives.

Managing Conflict with Confidence is all about empowering students to talk, listen and work out their conflicts so that both parties feel OK.

All sessions have Core, Extension and Evaluation activities. Core activities are those that are essential to the understanding of the concept.

The activities focus on the skills of communication, decision-making, developing values and attitudes, interacting and problem solving.

Summary of the 9 sessions

Session 1 Conflict and the win/win approach
9 Core activities, 5 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself – am I trying to get to a win/win resolution?

Objective:
Students:
• identify their expectations of the course (and reflect upon them in Session 9)
• define the difference between lose/lose, win/lose, compromise and win/win outcomes
• explore how Australian society is set up with the expectation that, in most activities there will be a winner and a loser
• role - play the different ways that people behave in conflict.

Outcome:
Students will understand the nature of conflict and how prevalent it is and also understand how undesirable it is to ignore conflict. They will be able to use a win/win approach in dealing with conflict and hopefully achieve a win/win outcome.

Session 2 Perception
8 Core activities, 3 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself - am I trying to see it from my point of view and the other person’s point of view?

Objective:
Students:
• do activities to show they may be seeing, hearing and feeling things differently to other people
• explore how they may make judgements about others, based on their preconceptions
• show that they may be thinking and feeling very differently to another person, about the same conflict by doing activities.

Outcome:
Students will understand that there are many points of view about the same issue and that all points of view are valid and need to be taken into consideration. They will also know that it is not possible to say. “I know how you are thinking and feeling.”

Session 3 Listening
7 Core activities, 4 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself - am I listening to the other person’s point of view?

Objective:
Students:
• discuss the difference between ‘bad’ listening, ‘me too’ listening and ‘good’ listening behaviours
• work with the same partner for all activities to experience the effects of these different listening styles.

Outcome:
Students will have enhanced skills of listening so that they can uncover the real needs and issues of the conflict.

Session 4 Appropriate assertiveness
22 Core activities, 12 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself - am I being assertive, my own best friend, not passive or aggressive?

Objective:
Students:
• discuss, demonstrate and understand the differences between Aggressive, Passive, Assertive and Passive/aggressive (with those students who are able to understand the subtleties of this behaviour)
• raise their awareness of the abilities and uniqueness of everyone
• do activities to become aware that Assertiveness is all about being one’s own best friend).

Outcome:
Students will have a thorough understanding of the differences between passive, aggressive, passive/aggressive and assertive behaviours and acquire strategies to become more appropriately assertive.
They will know the advantages of standing up for themselves without antagonising the other person and that being assertive is being your own best friend.

Session 5 Managing emotions
11 Core activities, 5 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself - am I calming down so that I can resolve my conflict?

Objective:
Students:
• define and discuss emotions
• discuss and demonstrate the consequences of jumping to conclusions and not calming down
• brainstorm ways to calm down so that they do not hurt themselves, other people or damage property.

Outcome:
Students will know that all emotions are valid and that managing their emotions, not denying them, is the key to successful and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
They will have strategies to manage their emotions, so that they can calm down and thus resolve their conflicts.

Session 6 Willingness to resolve
16 Core activities, 7 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself - am I willing to try to resolve the conflict?

Objective:
Students:
• explore the reasons why they may not want to make up or try to resolve the conflict
• list the disadvantages of not resolving conflicts and list the advantages of resolving conflicts
• raise their awareness of the effect of positive and negative self-talk
• explore the idea that it is possible to work with people they don’t like.

Outcome:
Students will be aware of what might be preventing them from being willing to try to work out their conflicts. They will be assured that where there is a will, there is a way.
They will have strategies to confidently approach others, to show their willingness to try to resolve conflicts.

Session 7 Mapping the conflict
4 Core activities, 6 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself - am I agreeing to work out the conflict and willing to follow a step-by-step process?

Objective:
Students:
• act out a simple conflict in which several people have a vested interest
• learn a model for problem solving by mapping the needs and fears of all parties concerned
• take a role, and work on the problem in groups
• brainstorm all possible solutions.

Outcome:
Students, having participated in a simple mediation process, decide on the best solution for all concerned. The outcome is fair, feasible and satisfactory and something that they could all live with.

Session 8 Understanding bullying behaviour
20 Core activities, 11 Extension activities, 1 Evaluation activity
Focus question: When I am in a conflict, I can ask myself - am I being a bully or am I being bullied? What am I going to do about it?

Objective:
Students:
• define and list bullying behaviour
• discuss and demonstrate the importance of body language
• list effective ways to deal with their own bullying behaviour and/or others.

Outcome: Students will know what is bullying behaviour-what bullies say and do, why they bully, who they pick on and what are the disadvantages and advantages to the bully.
They will be empowered with many strategies to deal with bullying and victim behaviour.

Session 9 Evaluation of the course ‘Managing Conflict with Confidence’
4 Evaluation activities
Focus question: Having completed this course, how are you using your conflict resolution skills?

Objective: Students reflect on their behaviours as they identified them in Session 1. They note the skills they have learned over the 9 Sessions and become aware of any subsequent changes in their behaviour by answering the following:
I) how do I manage conflict now?
II) with whom do I have conflicts now?
III) what are my conflicts about now?
IV) what skills do I find most helpful?
V) how has the course helped you?

Outcome:
Students reflect on the skills they have learned in the course and are aware of any behavioural changes in how they now deal with conflict.