Peer to peer

By Kelly Yates
NARRE Warren South P-12 College has started a new peer mediation program.
A group of Grade 6 students recently went through 20 hours of peer mediation training with Helen and Juan from the Family Mediation Centre in Narre Warren and the school’s primary welfare co-ordinator Rosemary Chapple.
Mediation is a method of problem solving which not only helps people understand and solve issues between them, but also demonstrates communication skills.
The mediation training for the students was part theory, part practice.
The peer mediators will now work with children in the younger year levels at the school.
Ms Chapple said the program allowed children to observe and practice listening, empathy, communication and negotiation.
“The mediators learn and practice these skills in role-play situations, and then apply them to real problems,” she said.
“The children who participate have the chance to talk out the problem in a controlled setting, with students rather than adults.”
Ms Chapple said the success of the new program at the school depended on the skills of the mediators and referring the appropriate problems to mediation.
“If these two conditions are met, mediation has an outstanding success rate,” she said.
“Even if the problem itself if not solved, the participants have had the benefit of listening to each other, and observing excellent communication skills in action.”
The new peer mediators received certificates during a recent function to mark the end of their training.