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RSL Queensland – Government

Empowering staff to navigate emotionally charged conversations

Services: Customer communications

About The Department of Education Victoria

The Victoria Department of Education (DE) leads the delivery of education and development services for children, young people, and adults, striving for excellence in every classroom across the state.

The challenge

The Department of Education Victoria’s Contact Centre and regional complaint-handling teams manage thousands of complaints and enquiries from parents each school term.

 

Staff regularly navigate emotionally charged conversations about bullying allegations, class assignments, child safety concerns, and confronting situations involving abuse reports or threatening behaviour. In parallel, teachers required support in managing face-to-face interactions with parents and carers during meetings, parent-teacher interviews, and community events.

What did CCS do

CAL Corporate Solutions delivered the MARATE Skills program to over 500 Department of Education Victoria staff across an initial six-month period, addressing two distinct challenge areas: phone-based complaint handling from Contact Centre staff managing highly emotional and aggressive parents, and face-to-face interactions for teachers navigating direct parent and community engagement.

The program was customised to reflect the Department’s specific policies, procedures, and escalation protocols, while providing practical skills tailored to the unique pressures faced by education professionals.

The results

✔︎ 100% positive ratings for facilitator knowledge and audience fit.

✔︎ 99% rated session quality and practical relevance as excellent or good.

✔︎ 98.2% confirmed their learning needs were met or exceeded.

Success Stories

Providing dynamic learning experiences

Janette Collier

Acting Director, Australian Institute for Primary Care & Ageing
“Our partnership with CCS has been very successful and course participants have contacted me to say how much they enjoyed the training with CCS and how useful they found it. Many have incorporated the skills and strategies into their working and personal life. Their only complaint was that they wanted a longer session!“

Michelle Eddy

Director of Finance, Canadian Armed Forces
“David Patmore led us on our MARATE experience today and was a very engaging instructor. He made me feel confident and equipped to converse with difficult people/situations. This course will be relevant in all aspects of my life: work, family, friends and absolute strangers that I may encounter.“

Kiery Pascoe

Organisational Learning Specialist, Southern Cross Community Healthcare
“It was great to have a session where the facilitator was able to adapt to our industry and provide scenario’s that fitted in with our organisation. Loved how interactive it was and real practical skills that can be used immediately.“






Southern Cross Community Healthcare

Naomi Cooper

Acting Health Services Manager – Digital Health, Royal Flying Doctor Service
“The structure and content was really well thought out and was spot on for the needs of the group. I’ve attended a few workshops on the same topic and this was by far the most practical and useful.“