Professor Dale Bagshaw (BA, Dip Soc.Stud., M.Soc.Admin, PhD, Adv.Cert.EM.)
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD OF AGEING.
Dale is the founder and Chair of EMAN, a Certified Elder Mediator (Advanced) with the Elder Mediation International Network (EMIN) and an adjunct Professor, Justice and Society, University of South Australia. From 1973-2009 her roles at UniSA included: Head of Social Work & Social Policy, the Director of Postgraduate Studies, Program Director for the Masters/Graduate Diploma/Graduate Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Master of Social Work and the Doctor of Human Service Research, and Director of the Centre for Peace, Conflict and Mediation.
Dale has led many research teams at a national and international level, including those focused on conflict, mediation, gender, child abuse, domestic and family violence, family law, elder abuse and elder mediation, and she has published the findings of her research in books and peer reviewed journals and presented many papers at national and international conferences. Her most recent research was funded by an ARC-Linkage grant and the SA Office for Ageing Well, with in-kind contributions from 5 partner agencies, and focused on the use of older-person-centred mediation as a strategy to prevent the financial abuse of older people by their adult children.
In 2007, she led the research team that wrote the first South Australian Government’s ‘Strategy to Prevent the Abuse of Older South Australians 2007-2014’ and is an ongoing member of the Steering Committee, Office for Ageing Well, Department for Health and Ageing which reviewed the plan and produced the report – ‘Strategy to Safeguard the Rights of Older South Australians 2014-2021’. The Steering Committee is now assisting in the development of a new plan and advises on other matters to do with elder abuse, including legislation.
Dale convened the 6th World Summit of Mediation with Age-Related Issues in Adelaide in 2013, is the founder and Chair of the Elder Mediation Australasian Network (EMAN), which she developed post-Summit, and has developed and maintains a comprehensive resource-rich website for elder mediators, older people and their families (see www.elder-mediation.com.au). She is an ongoing member of the International Board and Certification Committee of the Elder Mediation International Network (EMIN) and has worked with the latter committee to develop international certification standards and a Code of Ethics for elder mediators, relevant to Australasia. She is also A Fellow of the Resolution Institute and Chair of the RI Elder Mediation sub-committee.
Since April 2015, Dale has developed and delivered comprehensive training programs for elder mediators from all Australian States and New Zealand, which contribute to the EMIN certification requirements, and has continued to give conference presentations, webinars and training workshops, including for Relationships Australia (SA, Victoria, WA, Tasmania, NSW) the Resolution Institute (Australia and NZ) and other groups. Since retiring from UniSA, Dale has been a consultant with the South Australian Office for the Public Advocate and Catalyst (previously the Seniors Information Service), an elder mediator in private practice and a Visiting Professor and Examiner for the National University of Ireland’s Mediation and Conflict Transformation program (2009 – 2015).
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
- 2022: appointed a Fellow of the Resolution Institute.
- 2021: Champion Adjunct Staff Member, University of South Australia Justice and Society Awards.
- 2019: Association for Conflict Resolution’s John Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award which is presented annually by the Association for Conflict Resolution in the US to a “prominent and internationally recognized leader in mediation who demonstrates personal and professional commitment to finding mediation solutions to conflict while balancing therapeutic and legal perspectives. John M. Haynes was a pioneer in the field of family mediation, a respected author and practitioner, an international trainer, and the first president of the Academy of Family Mediators. In keeping with his legacy, the candidate should demonstrate innovation, creativity, and outstanding competence in: published writings, training, and practice; maintain personal and professional integrity and respect for others; and embrace a sense of humour and humility about our standing as fallible beings.”.
- 2015: Resolution Institute Practitioners Award for “the development and mentoring of dispute resolution practitioners”,
- 2014: Michael Klug Award – awarded by the Board of LEADR, (now the Resolution Institute), “to any person or persons who have contributed to the peaceful resolution of conflict in the best interests of the community’. ‘The Board of LEADR acknowledged Dale’s many, very varied and enduringly significant innovations in the Australian Dispute Resolution landscape over many years …[and]…admired her foresight in both the practice of mediation in dispute resolution and peacemaking and in the professional development of mediators. The Board also commended her for accomplishments which sustain well beyond being an innovation to become landmarks in the Australian Dispute Resolution calendar.”
- 2013: Sherren Leadership Award from the Elder Mediation International Network (EMIN) for “exceptional contributions for the global advancement of Mediation with Age-Related Issues; leadership and knowledge sharing with regard to research and best practice in elder mediation”.
For Dale’s list of publications go to her Homepage: https://people.unisa.edu.au/dale.bagshaw