PEER MENTORING
Lighting fires
“Live as if you were to die
tomorrow. Learn as if you
Empowering students
were to live forever.”
Gandhi
“You learn something every
day if you pay attention.”
Ray LeBlond
and aims to develop ideas to help and support student
“I have never in my life
learning across the member schools.
The group promotes Restorative Justice in schools, learned anything from any
and organised a conference on the topic along with the
town mayor in October 2008, which was very well
man who agreed with me.”
received by the local community.
Dudley Field Malone
Elsewhere, peer mentors have been working with
Swindon’s Primary Mental Health Team for over a
year, targeting year 7 students in group work sessions. “All of us do not have equal
The mentors have also been included on the
interview panels for new support and teaching staff at
talent, but all of us should
Churchfields, and elsewhere throughout the borough.
The students’ choices were different to the adults, but
have an equal opportunity
the reasoning behind their decisions made sense.
to develop our talent.”
They picked up on different aspects, and the
candidates that were employed were the choice of the
John F Kennedy
students more often than not.
We spoke to one candidate after an interview
with the mentors, and she said it was harder than the
“I am learning all the time.
professional interviewing. In her own words: “You
The tombstone will be my
can’t waffle on to a child thinking they will believe
what you say, you have to be straight and honest as they diploma.”
can see straight through you.”
Eartha Kitt
Conclusion
Peer Mentoring at Churchfields has changed the
“The whole world opened
ethos of the school and has become an invaluable
support mechanism in both the school and the local to me when I learned to
community.
The project model is presently being rolled out
read.”
across Swindon under the auspices of the Swindon
Mary McLeod Bethune
Ten network, and we believe schools in other parts
of the country could also benefit from the work being
undertaken here at Churchfields.
“It’s not what is poured
• Tony Pilling is the learning support and restorative justice
into a student, but what is
co-ordinator for the Swindon Ten schools network.
planted.”
Further information Linda Conway
Mentoring and Befriending Foundation: www.mandbf.
org.uk
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workshops – it was a joy to watch the peer mentors This helps the mentors to deal with peer group
teaching fellow students these life-saving skills. issues that might arise around the school and hopefully
Jane Cooper of the British Red Cross said: “We helps them to resolve any potential issues before they
9 p Z k ] 8 � � � 8
are hoping to breed a generation of life-savers, and take hold.
we were looking for a school to work with. The way The process is often used by probation officers to
Churchfields has involved peer mentors in this scheme get offenders and victims talking in order for criminals
is brilliant and we want it to act as a role model. to understand the impact of their crime.
9 8 g Z m b h g Z e 8 ^ l l Z r � p k b m b g ` 8 \ h f i ^ m b m b h g 8
“Introducing first aid into the curriculum requires, The system is being introduced in quite a few
above all, enthusiasm and dedication, which schools, and Churchfields is one of the first in Swindon p b m a 8 Z 8 m h i 8 i k b s ^ 8 h _ 8 � � � � � 8
Churchfields seems to have in abundance.” to consider it. So far, 23 peer mentors have received the
Peer mentor Jade Dance, 16, added: “I have been training to act as mediators when pupils misbehave.
teaching the recovery position, and how to bandage The school believes this approach will help to diffuse
a cut hand and stop bleeding. I think this training is a lot of situations that could otherwise be blown out of
really important because if we ever find ourselves in the proportion. Teachers can recommend that children talk
position where someone has been injured, we will have to a peer mentor or students can refer themselves.
the confidence to help them.” The system allows the peer mentors to deal with
The project is based on a programme from the issues among pupils and help them talk about problems,
British Red Cross called Life: Live It, and we have and then feedback to me, and it also means that pupils
plans to carry on cascading first aid to students with the are no longer scared to come forward with their
next event due to take place during a citizenship day problems. It is about giving pupils the chance to say
later this year. how they feel, and it gives the victim closure.
Restorative Justice Swindon Ten
Our peer mentors have also received in-house training Churchfields is part of a learning network called
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in Restorative Justice. Swindon Ten, which consists of 10 schools in the town,
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‘
Mentors have their own email addresses
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Z g l p ^ k b g ` 8 m a ^ 8 _ h e e h p b g ` 8 j n ^ l m b h g � 8 � 9 k ^ 8 ^ g ` b g ^ ^ k b g ` 8
for students to discuss problems that are
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confidential; this is to support students who feel
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8
uncomfortable talking face-to-face. Mentors also
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visit assemblies with presentations that they have
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made to promote the project and inform students
that they are here to help
’
SecEd • January 7 2010 9
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