Second Meeting of the Peer Mediation Working Group

  REPORT BY VICTORIA HARRIS

Exciting developments at the second meeting of the CMC Peer Mediation Working Group, with valuable insights from Yasmine Boudjatit, a year 12 peer mediator, and a presentation on fundraising by Michele Wheeler from Mediation Hertfordshire. The group also welcomed new members and received a Skill Share from Frederick Way, Foundation Director at CEDR, on their ‘Skills for Life’ programme, aimed at supporting 18-25-year-olds to learn about conflict management.

Work began in earnest for the CMC Peer Mediation Working Group who met for the second time on 9 May.

Having previously identified priorities to include youth engagement, promotion and fundraising; the group were delighted to be joined by Yasmine Boudjatit, a year 12 peer mediator at Bacons College, winners of an award for their Peer Mediation work at the NMAs in 2022.  Yasmine and her Peer Mediation Trainer Mel Bruce, gave valuable insight in to how to engage fellow pupils with Peer Mediation schemes within schools. Yasmine also reflected how conflict arising from social media was a significant cause of cases referred to their Peer Mediation service.

Raising the profile of Peer Mediation is key to its sustainability and future development. The Group are planning attendance at future events to include a Governor’s Conference in September where Dave Walker from CALM Mediation has offered to speak.

Michele Wheeler from Mediation Hertfordshire gave a presentation about how Mediation Herts are fundraising to support the continued delivery of the training.  She reported that many schools have received training thanks to successful applications to locality budgets held by local councillors and that Mediation Herts had also had success with an application to the Lottery ‘Awards for All’ fund.  Michele also reported how she works closely with Hertfordshire Community Foundation who are supported by numerous grant-making bodies.

The Group also benefited from a Skill Share from Frederick Way, Foundation Director at CEDR, who spoke about their ‘Skills for Life’ programme aimed at supporting 18-25 years old to learn about conflict management.  Young adulthood is a time when the tools of conflict management can better equip individuals to navigate new relationships with employers, flatmates and landlords.

The group agreed that this was good follow-on learning for peer mediation alumni as well as a valuable demonstration about what could be achieved with online training.  For more information about the programme contact Frederick Way.

It was great to welcome new members to the group so that members can support their introduction to Peer Mediation work with their local services; and a new employment opportunity at Quakers Britain for a national Co-ordinator to support Peer Mediation was also discussed. For more information about this opportunity contact Ellis Brooks.

The next Peer Mediation Working Group Meeting will take place on the 3 October.  If you are interested in Peer Mediation training in schools and would like to join this Working Group, contact Victoria Harris.