About Us - Our Training Team

Fred Stern - Senior Consultant, Program Director

- B.A. Youth Affairs
- Nationally Accredited Mediator
- Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (Attorney General's Department) 
- Expert panel member Victorian Independent Office school dispute resolution 
- Accredited Mental Health First Aid trainer (Master Principal Instructor)
- Cert IV Training & Assessment
- Cert IV Telephone Counselling

As a mediator and trainer going on towards 30 years in the field, Fred Stern has a wealth of experience in the field of conflict resolution and training with businesses, families, adolescents and a wide array of individuals and community groups. As both a past mediator at the Noble Park Family Mediation Centre, and co-ordinator of a mediation service in Geelong & Glenroy, Fred brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the area of conflict resolution and in particular mediation. In his private consultancy practice, Fred has trained over 500 workers from a broad range of professions including, teachers, community workers, youth workers, health professionals, the clergy and business people.

Fred has provided mediation in many varied workplace disputes. He has also for many years been a registered practitioner under the Family Court Law Act legislation and assists couples resolve disputes that involve children, parenting plans, property division and other matters. Fred also now provides on line mediation services and training where people are unable to attend in person.

Fred has also been well known in the mediation field for his high profile work in the area of peer mediation in both primary and secondary schools. He has authored a manual "Mediation in Schools" - creating a hassle free environment. Fred estimates that he has currently trained over 600 students at both the primary and secondary level. Fred's work with schools has earned him two awards. In 1996, his school program won a "schools excellence award for the Barwon Region" whilst in 1997 his mediation program won a national award as a best practice "anti-violence" program.

Fred also served as a facilitator for D.A.R.T. (Defence Abuse Response Taskforce). He has also taken up a recent posting as an expert panel member for the Victorian independent office school dispute resolution panel.

Fred's other passion is his work as a principal master instructor in the field of mental health training. As an accredited instructor he provides a number of important courses available to the public including Adult Mental Health First Aid, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Blended courses for workplace mental health, tertiary students, those working with people who are suicidal, Mental Health First Aid for those working with clients who have a intellectual disability and Teen Mental Health First Aid (a program delivered Years 10, 11 & 12 young people or groups in that age range).

Fred describes his life as busy but rewarding and says he enjoys the diverse nature of work he undertakes.