What is Peermediation?


Peermediation is a method that can be used to solve the conflicts between young people.

In other words: Peermediation is a conflict mediation, where pupils, under the guidance of their mates of the same age, reach together, in a structured way, a solution for this conflict or quarrel. A problem created together is solved together, with a little help! This means that the pupils will be taught to be responsible for their behavior and actions.

Peermediation has success because:

  • Young people use a language that is not always accessible to the adults
  • Young people recognize better and quicker the nature of the problem they are involved in
  • Young people manage to quicker figure out solutions to solve the problem
  • Young people, if well trained, don’t need adults to solve their conflicts. They can solve them better, quicker and more efficiently by themselves

The introduction of Peermediation can contribute to:

  • A quicker and more adequate solution of the conflicts between pupils
  • The development of pupils’ social abilities
  • A more lowered corrective attitude from the part of the teachers and of the headmaster’s office
  • The promotion of a more pleasant environment in the school
  • The time dedicated to the discipline maintenance will be reduced
  • The growth of safety

Another model of conflict mediation between groups of pupils is the so-called “conferencing model”. In this model, the conflicts between groups of pupils are brought under a mentor’s supervision, who tries to recognize and solve these problems by means of some models of interviewing.

Goal: The positive influencing of the social and educational climate in the school by means of:

  • pointing out the conflicts in due time
  • teaching the pupils to become responsible for their own conflicts and according them a chance to solve these conflicts quickly and by themselves
  • instructing a group of pupils as mediators; teaching them the necessary skills to:
    • solve the new conflicts
    • teachers / mentors will have more time for the educational process
    • enlarge the pupils’ involving in the school activities
    • improve pupils’ school performance

 

Edumonde Mediation is an award winning institute on a Peermediation project. The outcomes of this project are now available for Romanian schools.