EVALUATION OF THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROJECT IN AUSTRALIAN SECONDARY-SCHOOLS

During 1994, the New South Wales Department of School Education, in co llaboration with the Community Justice Centres, developed a dispute re solution project for students in secondary schools. The project was pi loted in 15 schools selected on the basis that a teacher was willing t o be trained as a community mediator. The establishment phase of the p roject was evaluated in 1995 by David Walsh whose findings were positi ve although the five-month time frame did not allow adequate time for definitive impact outcomes. A qualitative evaluation of the implementa tion stage was carried out in September 1996 followed by quantitative analysis at the beginning of 1997. This article discusses the results of the entire evaluation and the issues arising which have relevance f or those setting up such programmes.