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Principles and practices of peace education
Principles and practices of peace education

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2.1 Peer mediation

Peer mediation works well in schools that take restorative approaches to managing in-school relationships. Restorative approaches to addressing harm involve bringing people together to discuss how the harm or wrongdoing can be best addressed.

(EFRG, 2024)

There are many parallels between peace education and restorative approaches to education, as both seek to embed positive relationships between all members of a school community in an atmosphere where everyone can thrive. You can explore more about restorative practice in this course’s Resources and recommendations page [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] which includes links to information about restorative schools.

Activity 2 Introducing peer mediation

Timing: Allow approximately 5 minutes for this activity

Watch this short video made by CRESST with Greystone’s Primary School, Sheffield, who were joint winners at the National Mediation Awards 2022, where parents, staff, pupils and peer mediators talk about peer mediation in their school. As you watch, note down your initial thoughts on what peer mediation involves.

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Discussion

Peer mediation involves training children and young people to support people who are in conflict to find positive solutions to that conflict. As such it might be seen as part of peace making — managing conflict constructively when it arises.

There are many schemes run by a variety of organisations and services that support peer mediation in the UK and beyond. In 2023, a National Peer Mediation Co-ordinator was appointed, reflecting the growing recognition of peer mediation as a valuable approach to managing conflict in schools. However, Isabel Cartwright (2018) stresses that all members of the school community, including the headteacher and lunchtime supervisors, need to support peer mediation if it is to succeed.

Activity 3 Exploring peer mediation at Bacon’s College

Timing: Allow approximately 20 minutes for this activity

Watch this video made in Bacon’s College, London, which has had a peer mediation service run by sixth formers in a secondary school for almost 20 years. In the video you will see footage from when the service was established in 2006, as well as young people talking about the impact of the service in their school lives and beyond. As you watch the video make brief notes around these questions.

  • What benefits might peer mediation have for the school community?
  • What is the role of adults in the school community in helping develop peer mediation?
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Comment

Peer mediation can empower children and young people to take an active role in building peaceful relationships within schools. In the video, former peer mediators discussed the training and experience they received and the kinds of activities they carried out as peer mediators.

A crucial role for adults in developing peer mediation is in training children and young people as mediators (see next section). However, the video also shows how important it is for mediation to be supported both within the school and the community beyond.