Peer Mediation Programs: Good for Students, Good for Schools

There’s something magical about giving power to students to resolve peer conflicts. No longer is it an adult who is steering the conversation, giving consequences, and perhaps even making judgements on a student’s decision-making ability. Instead, it’s a peer who is nonjudgmentally listening to both sides of a situation and helping to brainstorm solutions. 

Peer mediation is like having good friends help two students work out a problem when they’re not getting along. It’s a bit like having referees in a game. These friends are trained to listen to both sides, help students understand each other's feelings, and come up with a solution that is acceptable to everyone. The goal is to make sure everyone feels better, and the problem is peacefully resolved before it gets completely out of hand.

At my school, I saw the difference peer mediation made on our campus.  Our peer mediators were always more than eager to help resolve a conflict, and their peers appreciated their honest and raw thoughts about what they could do to help bring peace to the situation.  For us, it was a win-win. 

How does peer mediation work?

Peer mediation typically follows a structured process. The specific steps can vary slightly, depending on the individual program or school, but the typical process includes these steps:  

1. Introduction: The mediators introduce themselves and explain the mediation process to the participants (disputants). They assure everyone that the conversation will be kept confidential and respectful.

2. Opening Statements: Each person involved in the conflict takes a turn to explain their perspective on the issue. Mediators encourage each person to speak without interruption.

3. Problem Definition: The mediators help the participants clarify the problem by asking questions and summarizing the issues. This step ensures that everyone understands the conflict.

4. Brainstorming: The participants and mediators work together to generate possible solutions to the problem. During this stage, there is no criticism or evaluation of ideas; all suggestions are recorded.

5. Negotiation and Decision-Making: The participants review the list of possible solutions and negotiate to find common ground. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each solution.

6. Agreement: Once the participants reach a consensus and agree on a solution, they draft a formal written agreement that outlines what they will do to resolve the conflict and prevent future issues. The agreement should be specific and realistic.

7. Closure: The mediators summarize the main points of the agreement and ensure that all parties are satisfied with the outcome. They also thank the participants for working together to resolve the conflict.

8. Follow-Up: Mediators may check in with the participants at a later date to make sure they are sticking to the agreement, and the conflict has been successfully resolved. This step helps prevent future conflicts and provides ongoing support.

9. Feedback and Evaluation: After the mediation, participants and mediators may provide feedback on the process to help improve future mediations.

Benefits of Peer Mediation Programs

Implementing a peer mediation program can significantly enhance the school environment by…

• Fostering a culture of peace, respect, and tolerance.
• Addressing conflicts more immediately.
• Equipping students with essential life skills that contribute to their overall development and well-being.

If you are bringing restorative practices to your school program and want to follow a multi-tiered system of supports, peer mediation, as a conflict resolution strategy, is a tier 2 intervention. With Peer mediation, you can shift from punitive punishment to restoring peace. 

Whether students are being impacted by name-calling, exclusion, physical altercations, or other types of conflict, peer mediation gives students the opportunity to retell their stories, express their feelings, and find a solution together. 

As your school community comes together and collaboratively supports the students involved, the community itself is strengthened by a greater sense of belonging and inclusion. As a result, schools with effective peer mediation programs enjoy reduced behavioral referrals, improved attendance, and enhanced peer relationships.

I’ll be honest. It did take some work to bring the program to campus. I researched a lot of programs, took the time to get faculty input, administrator by-in, and recruit and train mediators. This isn’t a get it done in one session type of program. For us, it started as a counseling goal to reduce discipline referrals and it ended in a program that made a real difference. Looking at the data, our discipline incidents went down 42% from the 2022-2023 school year. We did also incorporate Community circles and used targeted classroom lessons to address empathy, but having a peer mediation program, added to this decrease. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to decrease discipline referrals in their own school community.