Working with Conflict in Groups
ONLINE, once in 2024Conflict is essential for groups.
Luckily, it’s also inevitable.
But that doesn’t make it less scary to facilitate.
Conflict is rarely about disagreement; it’s fundamentally about awareness and is crucial to the growth process of a group. But most of us are hardwired to avoid conflict, we feel scared of it, and so group members and facilitators alike often try to suppress it.
As the group facilitator though, it’s your job to help your groups become more aware of themselves and support their growth – conflict HAS to be worked with.
In this facilitation training, we explore and explain the deep processes within conflict experiences and share a range of tools for working with them that you can apply immediately to your group work.
If you work with groups, in a paid or unpaid capacity, and would like to feel more confident and competent to facilitate transformative conflict in groups, this training is for you.
Conflict in groups can seem so confusing and messy, it can be hard to see what is going on or why. Whether its personal between group members or everything competing for centrality, ignoring conflict often seems like a safer option. Yet despite fears of things getting out of control or impacts on team morale or productivity, not addressing conflict is much more likely to escalate and cause problems in groups.
What if conflict became less something to fear and more an electric energy in groups to harness for their purpose?
In this class, you’ll learn:
- how to identify the causes of conflict,
- how to recognise the patterns of how conflict emerges,
- concrete tools for working with conflict in the moment and
- how to reorient your attitude towards conflict to see it as a catalyst for depth and change.
The workshop involves a mixture of theory, discussion and practice and includes:
- Recognising the Value of Conflict pre-reading
- Powerpoint handout
- 4 hr online live session, with capped participation to maximise engagement
- Follow-up reflection and integration exercise

“Some excellent techniques for dealing with conflict, together with an opportunity to practice and obtain feedback”
“It was thought-provoking and gave an opportunity to practice challenging facilitation contexts”

“One never knows when conflict will emerge in a group – having a little something in the back pocket is extremely useful”
“Really helpful to understand and tune in to my own reactions and responses to conflict”
Prior knowledge and pre-requisites
Working with conflict is a specialist skill in facilitation. We encourage you to consider the following courses prior to attending this one.
- ANZPOP Facilitation Masterclass Series
- Two-year Professional Training or Diplomate training at ANZPOP or other IAPOP member school.
If you have any questions about whether this course is appropriate for your experience – feel free to email beck@beckronkson.com to discuss.
Dr Jane Martin
Jane has over thirty years experience as a facilitator in the public, private and not for profit sectors, including the NSW State Public Service, the non-government sector, the Australian Federal Public Service and facilitating Deep Collaboration between First Nation Peoples and Other Australians. Her commitment to working with conflict is born out of a deep appreciation of the value of difference, whether it be different opinions, views, ways of doing things or cultural diversity.


Beck Ronkson

“Community members who’s voices weren’t being heard taught me about looking deeper into conflict. There were many reasons for this, not just one side not listening. Understanding and being able to work with conflict has been crucial to my work interfacing between communities and government”.

THE DETAILS
Date & Time
This class will run once in 2024, over 2 weekly sessions of 3hrs.
Mondays 10th & 17th June, 9.30am – 12.30 pm Sydney time (find your time here).
Fees
Standard rate: $600
Concession Rate $400 (wage under 70k annum)
Fairtrade rates are available for people from Global South economies or similar, please email admin@anzpop.org to arrange an equity-adjusted rate.
Recordings
This is a live online class via Zoom and will not be recorded.
Cancellations
Cancellations with eight or more days’ notice will receive a full refund.
Cancellations with more than two but less than eight business days’ notice will receive an 80% fee refund.
Cancellations with two or less business days’ notice will not be refunded.
ANZPOP acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands we live and work on, the Aboriginal Australian, Torres Strait Islander, and Maori peoples. We pay respect to their elders past, present and future. We give thanks for the wisdom of these peoples that has informed the Process Work approach. We honour the courage, resilience and spirit of traditional peoples in the face of the devastating impact colonisation has had and continues to have on their culture, wellbeing, and sovereignty.