Peer Mediation

Team Members:

Allison Kennedy and Stacey Sawa

What:

Peer mediation is a method by which peers help other peers resolve
disputes and conflicts before they develop into more serious problems.

	Some of the important steps of Peer mediation are the joint
session between the mediator and both disputers, then the individual
session between the mediator and each disputer, finally the joint session
for writing the agreement.

Joint Session-

	Goal:  To build trust, learn facts, and discover issues.

Each party will explain the situation from his/her perspective while
the other party listens.  The mediator may ask questions to either party
to facilitate story telling.
There are no interruptions from the other party while another is
speaking.  This rule allows each side to be heard fairly.
The mediator paraphrases what he/she thinks where each side is coming
from.


Individual Sessions-
	Goal:  Find out more about the situation, discover attitudes,
	       feelings, and priorities, and start to explore options.

Each party meets separately with the mediator which allows for more
confidentiality. 
The mediator can point out areas of agreement or common values between
the parties.
At the end of the sessions, the mediator reviews information gained.


Joint Session for Writing Agreement-
	Goal: To reach a positive agreement both sides can agree to carry
	      out.

Both side discuss what they will agree to.
All of the issues that were mediated are covered in the agreement.
Each side takes the responsibility for carrying out the agreement and
agrees to keep the situation confidential.
The agreement is signed and dated by the parties and the mediator.

note:  Material on procedures taken from Gettysburg College Campus
Mediation Program's Mediator's Training Guide.
 

Who:

Peer mediation includes:

mediators--trained people who help identify the problem, establish 
		   trust, maintain control during the session, maintain 
		   neutrality and confidentiality, help identify ways to
		   solve the conflict.
disputers--must be willing to solve the problem, be honest, listen
		   to each other, be respectful, keep confidentiality,
		   take the responsibility for carrying out the agreement.
	

When:

 Peer mediation can be used: 

To resolve common conflicts such as name calling, rumors, and
     bullying.  It cannot be used with a assault or other
     criminal activities.

After a situation arises where the conflict has not resolved, but
     before the dispute escalates into more serious, disciplinary,
     criminal, or civil matters.


Where:
Peer mediation can be used to solve conflicts on college campuses
such as roommate and classmate annoyances and in high schools and elementary
schools to solve conflicts such as adolescent discrepancies.


College Campus Conflicts:


classmate annoyances
roommate conflicts
romantic involvements
intergroup conflicts

note:Gettysburg College's Campus Mediation Program serves all
undergraduate members of the college community.  Mediators are
professionally trained college life staff and students.

High School Conflicts:


Mount Vernon High School--Alexandria, VA
West Snyder High School (Allison's High School)--Beaver Springs, PA
           Recently, WSHS created a peer mediation program to help
           students resolve their conflicts in a proper manner.


Elementary School Conflicts:


Keefauver Elementary School in Gettysburg, PA
	They have a sucessful peer mediation program for 4,5,and 6th graders.


Why:
The goals of peer mediation include:

To help peers learn alternate ways of handling anger, disputes, and
conflicts.
Prevent further disputes and/or resolve current misunderstandings.
Work out differences constructively.
Prevent disputes from developing into more serious matters.
Learn how to get along with each other.


The benefits of peer mediation are that the process is:
	Understandable
	Convenient
	Comfortable
	Timely
	Affordable
	Confidential
	Healing
	Empowering
	Effective

For more information:

For Gettysburg students: visit Residence Life
For High School Guidance Counselors and teachers: Teacher
Talk
For Elementary Schools: Contact Nancy D'Agostino, a 6th grade teacher
at Keefauver Elementary School in Gettysburg, PA