I graduated from CJP (former CTP) in 2002. I'm now a PhD student at Peace Studies Department of the University of Bradford, UK. My research title is : A transformative approach to public dispute resolution practice: a study of the US model and the South Korean case to empower citizens and improve governance.  

My interest is to investigate and develop critical insights into the US model of public dispute resolution in terms of transformative approaches to conflict resolution, and then develop a transformative theory which can transcend limitations and challenges that the US and South Korea have in public dispute resolution practices.  

I did a field research in South Korea in the summer 2006 investigating the first public dispute mediation case in South Korea . I plan to carry out another field research, interviewing public dispute resolution practitioners in the US in mid-2007.

Currently I am working as an assistant to the Middle School Principal at Korea International School in Sungnam City, Korea. It is a young school and yet growing fast.

Since there are strong needs for more international schools in Korea, more international schools are expected to be built in the near future.

My job is mainly administrative work. But I also play a role as a facilitator between parents (mostly Koreans) and teachers, and Korean staff and Western staff. I observe many cultural differences and tension caused by lack of cultural understanding. I also see many students who have difficulties in identifying who they are and trying to find how to deal with different culture since they have been exposed to another culture. In spite of my diversity awareness and sensitivity to conflict, I realize that I am not in a position to give impact for a change due to the strong hierarchical system, my current position, age, gender, and cultural factor.

I would like to encourage and support the young professionals (age 20-26) who have many talents and potentials and yet do not know how to use them due to lack of self-awareness and not having found the purpose of their life. At the moment, I do not have a clear picture in terms of how to pursue what I have in my mind. But I will get it in the right time. You are welcome to give me your advice or information on this field. Thank you.

If I get another job opportunity, I would like to work in a business setting because I think it would be useful in terms of learning the business culture and system, probably quite different from school. This does not mean that I have lost my interest in education. I am still interested in self-awareness, cultural diversity awareness, and international education. However, I do not see myself working as a full-time teacher or administrator in school. I want a more challenging and active job such as coordinating international conferences, networking various interesting people, and so on.

If you know any company or organization that I could fit in, feel free to contact me!

April 2007:
Upon returning to Seoul, Korea, Jae has worked with the Korea Anabaptist Center as Program Director. One of his projects has grown out of the discipline of restorative justice (RJ):

“I am one of the team members involved in a pilot project of RJ in Korea officially begun in 2006. The Korean Institute of Criminal Justice Policy is developing a Korean model of VOMP in order to apply to school violence. Korean society has tried to find an effective way of dealing with school conflicts and yet there has not been much improvement. With a team of researchers and mediators, we are trying to develop the workable-in-Korea model of VOMP. I have been designing the model, including facilitating the process with cultural sensitivity, deciding who should be involved, and what kind of education the mediator needs.

In addition I have translated and edited some RJ resources into Korean, including Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (MCC, 2003) and Changing Lenses (Herald Press, to be published in 2007).

8/07
Today, I led the first official victim-offender mediation program in Korean history. Women Making Peace Conflict Resolution Center and Korean Criminal Justice Research Institute are working together on a pilot project on developing a Korean RJ model for school violence victims and offenders.  And Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has opened 13 police stations to assist this project.

The case that I mediated involved violence among middle school students and arguments between mothers of victim and offenders. I can't explain all details about the case, but parties reached an agreement even though offenders still have to go through the juridical process. It was a great learning experience for me to think about peacebuilding and reconciliation.

We are expecting to have more cases in the near future.

Director of Ministries for the Baptist Union of Victoria

The Baptist Union of Victoria has 220 churches across the state, and we are generally regarded as one of the most diverse Baptist groups in the world. We include all points on the theological, cultural, and political spectra.

Most of the time we live peaceably together, but at other times my conflict transformation skills are called upon to get us all back on track.

I also serve as the Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Baptist Peace Network.

2008: The recent bush fires here have been devastating. More than 200 people died in the fires, so I have heaps to do in that regard. I am visiting pastors from the fire ravaged areas to provide them with support and encouragement.

Program Director, Pacific Center for Peacebuilding in Fijii

One of my recent focuses is developing the Restorative Justice in Prison program.
At this stage, it has been endorsed by the Commissioner of Prisons here, and I have just returned with him and a team from their HQ on a road show for their Yellow Ribbon project in the North.

The Restorative Dialogue for Crime Victims, Offenders and the Community is termed as the missing link in their offender re-entry process into the community (Yellow Ribbon Campaign.)  The Restorative Dialogue for Crime Victims, Offenders and the Community aims to provide a safe space where the stakeholders can dialogue on how they need to respond to crime and also how they can help prevent future involvement in criminal activities by addressing root causes.. We are currently raising awareness about this program in all the prison institutions in Fiji and the general public as well.

We are also building a team of RJ facilitators who will assist in seeing this program through. They will undergo trainings in RJ and Restorative Dialogues. We expect to begin the screening process of our stakeholders in September and start their parallel preparation programs for 6 months before a Restorative Dialogue happens. It has received a lot of interest and support from government and community people alike.

2006: I have resigned effective December 15th from the work that I have been doing with the Columbian Fathers. In the meantime, I am continuing consultant work in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

After December 15, I hope to begin a restorative justice project on getting offenders in prison to meet their victims. I plan to approach the Aust/Fiji Justice and Law Sector to work in partnership with me in this project. I am sure it is going to bring a different dimension on the whole understanding of reconciliation here in Fiji.

Work is very busy here in Fiji. Koila (Arieta Koila Olsson ’05), a local team of facilitators, and I work with the Peacebuilding program to bring new dimensions to the understanding of peace at the national level. We just completed a first ever Peace Jam for about 40 young people where Dr. Ramos was the chief guest. Now, a Peace Stability and Development Analysis is being undertaken by us and the ministry of Reconciliation and UNDP. We are facilitating the whole process in eight different sites in Fiji . As you can imagine, there are a lot of challenges involved since it is the first time that the Ministry of Reconciliation has agreed to work with an NGO and civil society in trying to analyze and develop strategies for peace.

I have also been doing training in restorative justice. Last year the present government proposed a very controversial bill termed "Reconciliation, Tolerance and Unity Bill," said to be based on the principles of restorative Justice. Since RJ is a new concept here, and given that I have had good training in Restorative Justice, I was asked by many society sectors to facilitate short RJ seminars.

The first invitation came from the Fiji Military Forces, who were very skeptical and suspicious about the type of restorative justice proposed in the bill. It was my first public seminar on restorative justice.

Then the word got around, and I received invitations from church groups, civil society groups, NGO's and even the Great Council of Chiefs, the highest council in the Fijian Traditional Society made up of all the high chiefs from all the provinces in Fiji . That was a historical moment for me, and, I suppose, the Peacebuilding efforts here in Fiji: having to speak to our chiefs in the name of RJ!

A couple of months ago, I did two trainings for FRIEND, an NGO directed by friend and associate Sashi Kiran who has done STAR at EMU. They have a special interest in Restorative Justice in prison, which is something that I am trying to work on here. Restorative Justice is also a component of the Trauma Healing workshops that we have conducted for the military and the police here in Fiji.

Koila and I have also been involved in trauma healing trainings for the military and police force here in Fiji. We have completed three trauma healing trainings for the military and just completed one for the police force. We hope to continue these for other sectors as well.

Our hope is to make our society more just and peaceful by transforming conflict and violence brought about by poverty, greed, abuse of power, evil, etc. At a recent dialogue 150 came to hear our Vice President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands speak on “Racial Harmony."

Director of the Pacific Center for Peacebuilding in Fiji

In 2008-9 we opened the NGO Center for Peacebuilding in Fijii. This center is a resource for dialogue and training, facilitation, and trauma awareness.

As we develop our programs I continue to work as a consultant to international organizations dealing with conflict resolution or peacebuilding in Fiji.