The modern worker: a framework for individual choice

The new world of work is upon us and with it brings a period of constant change and new workplace challenges (Bauman, 2000 and Canzler, Kaufmann and Kesselring, 2008). Mirroring societal changes of a focus on the individual, movement from deferred to instant gratification and a desire for flexibility; the modern workforce is changing. Previous research has taken a top down approach, focusing on a governmental and organisational perspective on the future of work (See Hyman and Summers, 2007 and Lewis et al. 2008). This paper takes a bottom up approach, exploring what the modern worker looks like and questions what is shaping individual work choices. The paper draws on findings from a wider piece of ethnographic research which included interviews with lifestyle orientated workers. Findings reflect current work relations tensions with a movement away from governmental and organisational control towards individuals regulating and controlling workplace policies

Measuring hope: levels of hope in Australian law students experience

In Australia, particularly over the last decade there has been increased attention paid to wellness in law. The Wellness Network for Law was established as part of Rachael Field’s 2010 Australian Learning and Teaching Council Fellowship. That has become a hub for sharing resources about known wellness issues in the legal academy and law profession. We know from previous research that symptoms of psychological distress (depression, anxiety and stress) begin early in law school and continue throughout the study of law and into lawyers working lives. The recognition of psychological distress, and the focus on promoting wellness at law school and in the profession, has seen the development of good practice guidelines, law society wellness support services, and annual conferences on the topic. Wellbeing is a distinct area of research falling under positive psychology banner, and is now a focus across sectors (not just law). So this is currently a very topical issue. I have chosen to focus on the distinct topic of hope, the levels of hope in law students, in contrast to student's levels of depression, anxiety or stress. Hope is defined as a positive motivational state that is based on one's own self-derived sense of successful agency thinking and goal-directed energy, and pathway thinking (planning to meet goals). It is a recognized theory, that includes a validated and reliable hope survey that is used to measure a person's level of 'hope'. According to the hope survey measure, a person can be classified as high hope or low hope. This paper will review hope theory literature and report preliminary results of levels of hope in law students at James Cook University

The Interfaith Project 2016 Conference handout

[Extract] The 'Let's Talk Lunch' initiative is designed to facilitate interfaith dialogue in a University setting. The Let's Talk Lunch project aims to increase religious literacy on campus through appreciation of student diversity and recognition of pluralism in the wider community

Plant cell walls: impact on nutrient bioaccessibility and digestibility

Cell walls are important structural components of plants, affecting both the bioaccessibility and subsequent digestibility of the nutrients that plant-based foods contain. These supramolecular structures are composed of complex heterogeneous networks primarily consisting of cellulose, and hemicellulosic and pectic polysaccharides. The composition and organization of these different polysaccharides vary depending on the type of plant tissue, imparting them with specific physicochemical properties. These properties dictate how the cell walls behave in the human gastrointestinal tract, and how amenable they are to digestion, thereby modulating nutrient release from the plant tissue. This short narrative review presents an overview of our current knowledge on cell walls and how they impact nutrient bioaccessibility and digestibility. Some of the most relevant methods currently used to characterize the food matrix and the cell walls are also described

Co-creating mediation models to meet cultural needs: two trainers' perspectives

Judith and Claire presented at this year's National Mediation Conference. They discussed their personal experiences with developing training for mediators in different cultural settings overseas, including the Thailand-Burma border and the Central African Republic (CAR). Claire and Judith reflected on how their studies in conflict management and resolution as well as their mediation training in Australia had assisted them in developing training modules in these different settings. They evaluated which skills and procedural features of the Australian facilitative mediation model they found to be of greatest use and which procedures needed to be modified to be applicable to the specific locations in which they worked

A case for coaching: influencing cultural change at the ATO

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is proposing to trial an innovative coaching model specifically designed to coach ATO auditors and objections officers (“ATO operatives”) to build their dispute resolution capacity and improve the way in which they deal with tax disputes. It is envisaged this coaching model will complement the ATO’s toolkit for resolving tax disputes, support early intervention and prevention of disputes, and influence positive cultural change within the ATO, which will in turn benefit the wider community. This paper will discuss the ATO’s current approach to dealing with tax disputes and introduce the coaching model design, drawing on literature and practice of current commercial coaching models

A case for coaching: how to measure the effectiveness of the ATO coaching model?

An innovative coaching model is being designed to trial within the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The coaching model is specifically designed to coach ATO auditors and objections officers (ATO operatives) prior to their interactions with taxpayers, and is focused on building and strengthening their dispute resolution capacity. The coaching model will also complement the ATO’s toolkit for resolving tax disputes, with the objectives of supporting the prevention and early resolution of tax disputes, as well as influencing positive cultural change within the ATO in line with the ATO reinvention program. To suit the context of the ATO business operations, managers or peers with appropriate coaching and technical skills will provide the coaching internally. Designing, implementing and choosing to incorporate a coaching model as part of everyday business is a significant investment for any organisation. The investment is not just in terms of direct financial outlays, but also indirect costs, such as staff time, staff engagement (buy-in vs disengagement), and staff experience. The costs can also be measured through external factors such as client experience and reputation of the organisation. What is an effective way to measure the value of an internal coaching program at the ATO? This paper will discuss the background of the ATO coaching program and the evaluation methodology proposed for measuring the success of the program. Consideration of goals specific to the ATO context will be explored, as well as definite methods of how each goal may be measured. Measuring the effectiveness of the coaching model will assist in determining the cost, benefits, and expected levels of success, which can be used as a platform for consideration of the uptake of similar internal coaching models by other large organisations (government and private sector)

Hopeful perspectives: incorporating hope theory in Australian law students' academic experience

The graduate landscape paints an austere outlook for law students with the ultra-competitive legal market fluctuating in its need for graduate lawyers. How law students and members of the legal profession are adapting to the complex nature of modern legal roles and the 'wellness' of law students and legal professionals is being increasingly evaluated in Australia. Given that students are enrolling in law degrees in a fast-paced changing world, it is important for universities to consider how students' studies, academic achievement and career skills-building might be impacted by how they are thinking and feeling about their future. How students feel about and perceive their future affects their level of hope and subsequently their wellbeing. Hope is defined as an individuals' positive motivational state and perceived capability to plan and seek pathways to meet their desired goals. This review will consider evidence from the fields of positive psychology, first year experience in higher education, alternative dispute resolution, and teaching and learning pedagogy in order to examine how certain characteristics of the student experience relates to individual hope. The implications for future research in the field of hope theory, specifically in law student populations, and how hope theory can be utilised to inform teaching practices are discussed

A case for coaching: influencing cultural change at the ATO

The Australian Taxation Office (the ATO) is one of the leading government agencies utilising Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and has achieved a substantial reduction in disputes proceeding to litigation over the last five years. This is largely due to the ATO’s sophisticated Dispute System Design (DSD) and the ATO’s internal use of ADR methods, including the implementation of initiatives such as in-house facilitation (mediation), the dispute assist program, and independent review. Hoyer and Holland are proposing to trial a coaching model specifically designed for ATO operatives (auditors and objections officers) to build their dispute resolution capacity and improve the way in which they deal with tax disputes. It is envisaged this coaching model will complement the ATO’s toolkit for resolving tax disputes, and influence positive cultural change within the ATO

Co-creating mediation models to meet cultural needs: two trainers' perspectives

Judith and Claire presented at this year's National Mediation Conference. They discussed their personal experiences with developing training for mediators in different cultural settings overseas, including the Thailand-Burma border and the Central African Republic (CAR). Claire and Judith reflected on how their studies in conflict management and resolution as well as their mediation training in Australia had assisted them in developing training modules in these different settings. They evaluated which skills and procedural features of the Australian facilitative mediation model they found to be of greatest use and which procedures needed to be modified to be applicable to the specific locations in which they worked