Working to make a difference for children
who display challenging behavior
Peer Mediation
Resources
"Without training in negotiation, students appear to
resolve most conflicts by either withdrawing or forcing a solution.
A well-conducted peer mediation program can teach students alternative
strategies to aggression and withdrawal for settling conflicts.
... This can lead to improved school climate, and even decreased
office referrals and suspensions. Yet peer mediation is complex;
in order to be successful, there must be adequate planning and especially
training of mediators. ... With adequate attention to details,
peer mediation appears to be a promising tool that, used as part
of a broader program, can help teach students methods to settle
their conflicts without resorting to violence."
(Safe
and Responsive Schools)
The Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation Project is a program designed to help students develop interpersonal skills important for the development of prosocial behaviors and constructive conflict management.
Safe
and Responsive Schools: Peer Mediation Fact Sheet
In the "Publications" section of the Safe and Responsive Schools Web site, a series of two page fact sheets reviewing the literature on promising interventions for preventing school violence are available. Each fact sheet presents an overview of the program, data on the implementation and effectiveness of the program, and information on components that appear to be critical for its success.
Youth
in Action: Want to Resolve a Dispute? Try Mediation, March 2000
This Bulletin was produced by the National Crime Prevention Council as part of the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign under a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The National Crime Prevention Council is a nonprofit organization that conducts demonstration and youth-based programs, produces publications and training materials on a variety of subjects, and manages the day-to-day activities of the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign.
We urge you to help make our schools and our communities safer places. We invite you to use this Guide as a means of working with your schools, community organizations, and other youth-serving and juvenile justice settings to give our youth the skills, techniques, and tools they need to learn and to resolve disputes in a safe and nonviolent environment. Janet Reno, Attorney General and Richard W. Riley, Secretary of Education. This guide is also available in .pdf format.
Special Education Guide: Elements of Peer-To-Peer Support Programs
Special Education Guide is a Web-based resource for parents and teachers. In this article, common elements of Peer-To-Peer support programs are highlighted and described.