Peer Mediation: Youth Mediator Training – 24 Hrs

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Youth Mediator Training is scheduled as 4-day retreat (6 hrs/day), two weekends (6 hrs/day), or 8 days after school (3 hrs/day). Required Adult Support training (24 hours) is best scheduled as 3-day retreat.

When: Arranged

Where: Arranged

Total Cost: $5000 plus travel expenses and per diem ($175 per day, per trainer in US/varies outside US). Printing costs for training manuals are included in the cost of each training. Other costs, such as snacks and/or lunches for trainees, rental of conference rooms, audio-visual equipment, flip charts, etc., shall be borne by the contracting school.

Enrollment Limits: Minimum 10, maximum 20 participants

Note: Call 505-983-3344 to schedule Peer Mediation for Youth Training. Also, see information on Adult Support Training

Course Description

Peer Mediation is a program used by hundreds of schools and youth centers nationwide. Students are trained to provide mediation services to their peers, with the support of faculty, staff, parents and community volunteers. Schools that have Peer Mediation programs typically experience less violence on campus, a lower dropout rate and improved communication between students, faculty and parents. Individuals who are exposed to mediation in their youth carry conflict resolution skills into their adult lives. Peer mediators discover and demonstrate that there are many alternatives to conflict escalation and violence.

Mediation is a process in which a neutral, well-trained third party is asked to intervene and help people in a dispute resolve their differences. Through dialogue, active listening and negotiation, the mediator guides the disputants to understand themselves and others, so that peaceful options become clear and acceptable. The mediation process is built on the foundation of mutual respect and dignity.

This 24-hour training is designed for ages 14 through 18, and has been successful with youth as young as 10 years of age. The training imparts skills that can be used in any context to expand communication and resolve conflict.

The curriculum includes:

  • effective communication skills
  • active listening
  • understanding the causes of conflict
  • resolution and negotiation techniques
  • forging agreements and agreement writing
  • interactive games and role play

*For best results, Peer Mediation training programs occur at the beginning of the school year, from August to October. With this schedule, trainees have the entire school year to implement the program, solidify skills experientially and cement the program within a given campus. The Train the Trainer may be conducted later in the year, after participants in the Peer Mediation program have achieved actual hands-on experience with the program. Because of the short time frame of August through October, Common Ground limits its Peer Mediation and Adult Support trainings to three schools per year, on a first come first served basis. In order to schedule trainings for a given school, a contract must be executed, with a 50% deposit, at least six months prior to training.

**The responsibility for recruitment of trainees lies exclusively with the school that contracts the training. We strongly suggest that Peer Mediators be drawn from a wide pool of students, to reflect the diversity of the student body. Typically, peer mediators are drawn from the ranks of honor students and leadership programs. However, we think it is advisable also to invite students who may not excel academically, or who may pose disciplinary challenges. Often, this profile reflects a latent ability for leadership, which has been misdirected via social pressure or problems at home. Often, this latent "negative leadership" can be re-directed by mediation training into positive role modeling. This shift in emphasis can have a profoundly positive impact on peers who otherwise may be inclined to follow the "negative leadership" into undesirable directions.