Peer Mediation Programs offer a Restorative Practices step before conflict escalates into disciplinary actions. Establishing trust and confidentiality with well trained students also increases the casual practice within the student population.
Factors for a successful mediation program are straight forward and easy to achieve. They include:
- Sound training for mediators
- Pride in being nominated for a mediation role
- Confidential and private meeting place
- A solid launch to students about how mediation works
- A clear faculty understanding of how and when to refer a conflict
- Mediation schedules that protect as much class time as possible
- Written contracts between parties that show an effort has been made to resolve conflict
- A trusted support staff in a supervisory role for all mediations
- Hall passes for conflicting parties and mediators
- Consider posters for restrooms and websites, a yearly reward for mediators to celebrate successes, first of the year mini PD for teachers on how to utilize the program
I love to let my mediators create the posters and digital advertisement posters for students for how to seek mediation.