We have asked pupils around Scotland to describe their experiences of peer mediation. Their answers can be found in the quotes below, and also in the short video further down.
“Peer mediation to me is something that is working toward the future.. because you’re always going to need maturity and responsibility to work with others, and you also need to be able to talk to others interactively and confidently and be comfortable around them. So it makes you feel more mature, and the training was really fun.”
S5 Pupil, Rosshall Academy
“It’s not just about helping people sort problems out.. you get to know everyone, and you just.. feel proud of yourself, it makes you feel proud”
P5 Pupil, St Leonard’s Primary
“Peer mediation gives us common ground to build on, and makes it easier to talk and communicate well with each other and in general”
S6 pupil, Baldragon Academy
“Peer mediation has made me more comfortable in interacting with other pupils, especially the older ones, because there are so many groups and cliques in school”
S3 pupil, Rosshall Academy
“Peer mediation has given me an option in situations where I’m in trouble with friends, or they are in conflict, rather than resorting to conflict”
S6 pupil, Baldragon Academy
“Peer mediation has helped me mature and deal with all the nonsense. I have much more patience in dealing with younger pupils because of peer mediation, and it doesn’t frustrate me as much anymore”
P5 St Hilary’s Primary School
“ Peer mediation helps get to root causes of problems, and relieving tensions between friends, so it works on a deeper level and helps you understand”
S3 pupil, Rosshall Academy
“I use the peer mediation skills I have to mediate conflicts between my siblings, and it works So I can use it outside of school as well!”
P5 pupil, St Leonard’s Primary School
Former peer mediators’ voices
It is useful and interesting to also hear from some former peer mediators and see how they look back at their experiences as peer mediators in school.
“Peer mediation gave me confidence, it gave me friendship and it gave me a place in the school. I wasn’t the most popular guy at school, and definitely not the most confident. As a young man I would avoid situations in which I felt inferior to others. Peer mediation changed that, for once I was in control and I was doing something which really made a difference. The skills I had learned were invaluable in navigating my way through challenging situations in the years that followed.
Whether it be family situations, workplace issues or a bit of trouble with the girlfriend, I put my skills to use to overcome the obstacles put in my way and in the way of my friends and family.
Now many years on I have qualified as a P.E teacher and rest assured I will be passing the skills I learned onto my pupils to support them in their journey through life. Peer mediation gave me a chance to own a part of the school community, it gave me a chance to shine and most notably it gave me a lifelong friend who I can turn to whenever I need and for that I will always be grateful.”
Kieran Tennant, 22 years, currently a P.E. Teacher at Graeme High in Falkirk (Kieran graduated from Whitburn Academy)
“Peer mediation.. well it has made me a better person in my day to day life. I now have better hearing and listening skills which are invaluable in everyday situations. If you just listen a little more carefully you are able to fully analyse a situation and come up with a superb solution to anything. Peer mediation has given me a greater insight into my life and shown me that what I do can have significant effect on others so, I guess you could say it has made me more aware of other people’s feelings.
I use the skills I have learnt from peer mediation everyday as it makes my life a lot easier and allows me to communicate my ideas in a sensible manner. It also can solve a lot of the confrontation that can occur if you don’t listen to people. The skills you can learn are fantastic and I was grateful to have had the opportunity. I think if it wasn’t for learning these skills I don’t think I would have been able to the person who I am today.
Peer mediation was also an advantage to me when I was a member of the Scottish youth parliament (MSYP) as being able to defuse tense situations is a useful technique. I am glad that I can pass these skills onto other people to help the world communicate in a more civilised way.”
William Kerr, 22 years, currently a Computing Support Officer at Napier University (William graduated from Whitburn Academy)
Pupils’ Voices Video (Recommended watching in small screen format -if you require a better resolution quality version, please get in touch).