Claire Holland

International Development Experience

Claire studied a combined Economics and Law degree at the University of Tasmania with a year exchange at the Universidad de Complutence, Madrid and a summer exchange at the University of Shanghai, China. She undertook a Masters of Mediation and Conflict Resolution at the University of Queensland while working at the Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. Claire then spent a year working in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border as a Mediation Specialist with International Rescue Committee (IRC). Her role involved training IRC legal assistance centre staff, paralegals and camp community leaders to improve dispute resolution procedures, policing and detention practices in the refugee camps. She also spent a year working in the Philippines as a Capacity Development Officer with a local NGO, working with their institution building team to develop a training program and resources on participatory governance and gender equality and fostering active community participation in the development process. Claire is a trained group facilitator, and worked as a casual facilitator for Scope Global between 2013-2017, assisting to prepare Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) prepare for deployment overseas, and in professional debrief upon return to Australia.

Leadership and Contemporary Conflict Management Experience

Claire has designed a number of subjects and leadership development programs, including the undergraduate law subject Contemporary Practice: The New Lawyer, and modules on Effective Conflict Management and Resolution for Managers and Leading and Influencing through Effective Engagement. Claire is passionate about positive leadership and is involved in a number of research and collaboration projects to further explore the skills required for effective leaders and methods of capacity building and practical processes to enable transformative and cultural change in organisations. Claire’s research on Hope Theory and positive psychology is contributing to scholarship in the area of Wellness for Law. The applications of ‘wellness’ and understanding of strategies to build and promote wellness is extremely topical and can be applied across a range of fields of study, including management and organisational leadership.

Since 2014 Claire has been involved in research, design and facilitation of interfaith dialogues on campus as part of the JCU Multifaith Chaplaincy Interfaith Project. To further this research Claire has initiated an MOU with Silliman University in the Philippines to conducted interfaith dialogue training and is an invited key note at the Law and Religion Conference at Silliman University in 2020. Claire is also working with the JCU Multifaith Chaplaincy to design modules on Religious and Cultural Competency.

Current Research Projects

- PhD Research Measuring Hope in JCU Law Students

- Interfaith Dialogue (collaboration with JCU Multifaith Chaplaincy Interfaith project)

- Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and resolution mindset coaching (collaboration with ATO)

- Leadership development, management and conflict resolution skills for organisational transformation (collaboration with Zing & Co with $20,000 JCU Research Support Grant)

Claire is a member of Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) and is on the UN Sustainable Development Goals Action Group, and the Children and Youth Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group.

Claire’s research is contributing to the UN sustainable development goals (SDG), specifically SDG 16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions; SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities; and, SDG 5 – Gender Equality.

Qualifications

Claire is a conflict management and resolution practitioner. She is the Course-Coordinator and Lecturer in the Conflict Management and Resolution (CMR) Program at James Cook University. She is also a practicing Nationally Accredited Mediator under the Australian Standards (NMAS) with the Queensland Dispute Resolution Branch, and a certified conflict coach with Conflict Coaching International (CCI). Since working at JCU, Claire has competed a Graduate Certificate of Education (Academic Practice) and is a PhD candidate in the field of positive psychology and law, assessing the levels of hope in law students.

Teaching

Claire is a ‘pracademic’. She is a conflict resolution practitioner and academic, and believes in research and practice informed teaching. Claire teaches into the Masters and Graduate Certificate of Conflict Management and Resolution:

- LB5530 Conflict Resolution Processes

- LB5501 Facilitative Mediation Practice

- LB5536 Foundations of Multidisciplinary Research and Communication

- LB5520 Professional Project/Internship

Claire also engages in guest lecturing across a number of degree programs at JCU.

Claire has also designed and delivered two modules in the CBLG Leadership Development Program:

- MO2001 Introduction to Effective Conflict Management and Resolution for Managers

- MO2002 Leading and influencing through Effective Management

The CBLG Leadership Development program offers modules anywhere in Australia to meet the needs of organisations looking to enhance their workforce’s professional skills through flexible and work-based learning.

Claire is dedicated to delivering high quality and engaging postgraduate education. As part of the CMR team, Claire is engaged in ongoing research and development in effective practices in higher education. A recent CMR project on developing and using case scenarios in teaching was published: Mo A, Holland C, and Rafferty J (2018) Enhancing the student experience through the creation and use of authentic and accessible conflict scenarios. Australian Journal of Clinical Education, 4 (1). pp. 1-17

Community Engagement

Claire is a member of the Townsville Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee and the steering committee of the North Queensland Family Law Pathways Network. Claire is also a member of the Australian Dispute Resolution Research Network and coordinates the Conflict Resolvers Network in Townsville.

Claire is active in presenting workshops and training in conflict management and resolution for community groups and private organisations, for example:

- Townsville Multicultural Support Group

- Stuart Prison

- Australian Taxation Office

- Townsville Women in Science and Technology

- Cairns Young Chamber of Commerce

- Chartered Professional Accountants

- Townsville Young Professionals Network

- JCU Graduate Research School

- JCU Student Association