About Academy

Peer Support

The Peer Support Program is an integral part of the transition and the student leadership programs of the College. It is a structured program where senior students are trained to work with small groups of junior students in the development of mutual support and friendship. Peer support and positive peer influence is introduced into the College community by training volunteer Year 11 students to act as group leaders to lead small groups of Year 7 students in regular weekly meetings.

Yr 11 Peer Support student leaders are trained in:

  • Collaborative group work activities

  • Listening skills

  • Communication skills

  • Conflict resolution skills

  • Organizational skills.

This training and subsequent experience in leading a group of Yr 7 students provides each Peer Support Leader with essential leadership skills.

Peer Mediation

Mediation is the process by which the disputants, together with the assistance of a neutral person or persons, systematically isolate disputed issues in order to develop options, consider alternatives and reach a consensual settlement that will accommodate their needs.

Mediation is a process that emphasises the disputants' own responsibility for decision that affect their lives (Filbert & Taylor 1984)

Student-student conflicts are handled by the disputants themselves with the assistance of specially trained mediators, rather than by teachers. It is a voluntary and confidential process bound by specific ground rules. It follows a step by step formula which assists students to work through immediate problems, take responsibility for generating their own solutions, agree on those that are practical and mutually acceptable, and then work at implementing these. In so doing, it enables young people to develop a basis for future problem solving. (Peer Support Victoria Resource Book).

A panel of Year 9 students will be trained each year (approximately 30 students). They will be trained according to the six step mediation process by staff who have undergone the Instructor Training Workshop at the Peer Support Foundation Victoria. These students will then work with students of Year 7 and 8 who are experiencing some form of conflict situation with another student. The aim being that these Peer Mediators will assist the girls in the conflict situation to come to a mutually agreeable solution to their problem.

Rationale

The emotional well being of young people is central to the ethos of the College. Pastoral care, therefore, permeates all relationships within the College, focusing on the individual student, providing encouragement and compassion, fostering a Christian spirit and mutual understanding and respect. (College Prospectus) Peer Mediation relies upon mutual understanding and respect. It aims to develop a sense of understanding and compassion and awareness of the circumstances of others.

Student Mediation programs teach new, effective ways to deal with potentially explosive situations. Students help other students by using mediation approaches to problem solving. The program empowers students, lowers faculty administrative time, and settles conflicts before they become major battles. (Peer Support Victoria Resources Book)

Aims of Peer Mediation

Benefits for the students

To enable students to improve:

  • Their communication skills

  • Their problem solving skills

  • Their conflict resolution skills

Benefit for the school:

To enable a school to improve:

  • The social and learning environment

While decreasing

  • Hostility

  • Violence

  • Anti-social behaviour

Procedure

  • Any student may approach Homeroom Teacher, Year Level Coordinator, Subject Teacher or Peer Mediators to request mediation.

  • Peer Mediation Program Coordinator arranges for mediation session with rostered Year 9 Mediators and records details in Mediation Program folder.

  • Scheduled Mediation session takes place in allocated room during designated lunch time or mutually agreeable time.

  • Peer Mediators record results of Mediation session in program folder and meet with program Coordinator to discuss experience and issues of concern and debrief.

  • Follow up session with disputants takes place approximately one week after mediation session to assess impact of mediation.

  • Unsuccessful mediation sessions referred back to YLCs for future monitoring.

Types of Problems Peer Mediators Will Handle

Peer Mediators can help resolve the following conflicts:

  • Peer fights, eg low level pushing/shoving

  • Name calling

  • Rumours and gossip

  • Dirty looks

  • Arguments

  • Money and property

  • Games disputes

  • Territorial disputes

  • Invasion of privacy

Types of Problems Peer Mediators Will Not Handle

  • Use of weapons

  • Use of drugs

  • Assaults

  • Sexual harassment

  • Highly emotional physical fights

Big Sister / Little Sister Program

As Year 7 students and Year 12 students share the same location with regard to their homerooms and placement of lockers, an informal system, known as "big sister" operates between the two year levels. Each Year 12 student is assigned 1 or 2 Year 7 students and is encouraged to interact with the junior students and encourage a positive attitude to College life.

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