Recently, WRAP’s Function Lead for Training, Vince co trained with Pierre, one of WRAP’s associates to deliver peer mediation training to three primary schools in Cardiff. This was a collaborative piece of work which not only produced 18 new peer mediators but also strengthened the sharing of best practice between schools.
The course, running over three days, took the pupils through a range of activities designed to challenge many key skills needed for peer to peer mediation, and life! Some of the core ideas the pupils visited were their active listening skills, questioning techniques and trickier but essential ones, such as safety and confidentiality.
Over the duration of the course Vince and Pierre noticed how well the pupils began to listen to each other and work together to help others resolve problems, whilst trying not to step and fix it for them, which is one of the core ideas the peer mediators learn.
Over the coming months, each school will begin creating their own service within their school, thinking about the visibility of their peer mediators, what resources they may have and use, and how to provide supervision to the practicing pupils.
If you are interested in training peer mediators in your own school or organisation, please do contact the WRAP team!