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Within schools and other organisations, conflict resolution is often used to build relationships and resolve disputes. There is a range of techniques being used to address bullying which fit under the umbrella of conflict resolution, and Peer Mediation is one of them. What is it and why use it? Peer mediation is a process whereby two children or young people act as mediators to help people discuss how they feel, identify the problem and reach agreement on how to resolve situations and move forward. Mediators remain impartial and do not provide guidance or solutions but allow participants to reach them themselves. Responsibility and control remains with the participants at all times and to ensure this the process of mediation is on a voluntary basis. Peer mediation is about providing children and young people with the problem-solving skills to deal with ‘minor' bullying incidents in a non-violent way. It allows them to take responsibility for their feelings and behaviour and to have a say in incidents and decisions that affect them. It is not a method that will eradicate all bullying, but it can help individuals to develop their self-esteem and mechanisms for coping with bullying behaviour and its impacts. However, peer mediation should not be seen as a ‘soft' option. It can create and encourage a safe environment where skills such as communication and listening are used to negotiate non-violent ways of resolving conflict. It also allows children and young people to examine the role they play and offers alternatives to bystanders and witnesses. Clear guidelines need to be in place to ensure all mediators know when mediation is appropriate and when other measures must be taken. Is it suitable for all bullying behaviours? Peer mediation is only appropriate for dealing with certain types of bullying behaviour. For example, children and young people who are being picked on or teased, who are being called names or who are having rumours spread about them may benefit from this process. However, violent incidents, incidents based on difference or perceived difference and unlawful practices would require the support and intervention of adults. It is important to make these distinctions clear to all children and young people who are providing mediation and ensure that support is available for all concerned should it be required. Confidentiality is also something that should be discussed. Peer mediators must be able to keep certain information confidential to ensure credibility and trust. However, child protection which may be disclosed to a peer mediator must be divulged to an adult. Clear training should be provided for this and all participants entering mediation should be made aware of the issues of confidentiality. Peer mediation is only one strategy that can be used to address bullying behaviour, and to be successful other factors and strategies must be in place to support and complement this method. An organisational culture that encourages respect, values opinions, celebrates differences and promotes positive relationships will make it difficult for bullying behaviour to flourish or be tolerated. The overarching ethos of any organisation should make it clear that bullying is never acceptable and that all adults and children and young people understand the role that they play in addressing bullying. Peer mediation is only one aspect of supporting this culture. Who should be trained? Which children and young people should be trained? How can we develop selection criteria? Who should choose? A number of questions should be considered when setting up a peer mediation programme. Some organisations give all children and young people initial conflict resolution training to enhance the skills and growth of the full group. Peer mediators are identified from this group to go on to receive further training. Mediators can be chosen by children and young people or adults or a mixture of both. Another option is self-nomination where individuals come forward and complete an application form to show commitment and reasons for wanting to be a peer mediator. The Scottish Mediation Network has a number of free resources available to download from their website providing information on recruitment and selection of mediators. http://www.scottishmediation.org.uk/ It is also important to ensure that the pool of peer mediators represents the children and young people that it will be serving. For example, it's important that the number of male and female mediators represent the wider organisational community. Although peer mediation is primarily a practice provided by children and young people for children and young people, training is essential for everyone involved in the process. Staff should be made aware of their role in co-ordinating and providing support to mediators. This will give the programme an element of sustainability and ensure that staff understand the process, its voluntary nature and the fact that it is child-centred and orientated. The support of parents and carers is also important, ensuring they understand why peer mediation is being used and how this reflects the organisations overall ethos on anti-bullying. Practical Considerations Other practical considerations that should be taken into consideration are:
Peer mediation programmes should run alongside other anti-bullying measures and strategies to address bullying, and the peer mediation ethos should be integrated into the wider organisational culture. Programmes will take time to put into practice and will also require the support of all staff and children and young people to be successful. |
