The Conflict Dynamics Empowerment Trust has started working with schools in KZN and Gauteng to increase the conflict competence of teachers and students.

The first initiative took place in 2022 in a school in Phoenix. A group of 41 teachers attended a conflict management course conducted by Conflict Dynamics trainers, James Taylor and Nomonde Keswa. Read James Taylor's Blog.

"This (training) needs to be rolled out across the board in schools if we want to change the ethos of violence in our communities" - Popsy Pillay: a teacher and participant on the course.

"An excellent course equipping staff with necessary skills to negotiate very real situations that are encountered on a daily basis" - D A Pillay: a teacher and participant on the course.

Our second initiative took place in October 2023 in three Gauteng schools. In this instance, we conducted mediation training for 36 learners and two teachers from each school. The learners were trained as peer mediators and the teachers observed the training so that they could implement the peer mediation program in their schools in the future and support the mediators. This initiative was led by Siham Boda.

These initiatives, known as the Peacemaker Project, will support the learners, teachers, and schools to enhance the conflict management capabilities within the schools. In this video, Siham Boda and Felicity Steadman talk with Emma van den Berg, a school-based psychologist specialising in working with adolescents. They explore different types of conflicts that arise in schools and discuss effective strategies for managing them. Watch the video HERE

Watch the video in which Felicity Steadman, Director of Conflict Dynamics, discusses with experts various school-based conflict management initiatives currently underway in South Africa and the UK.