Our peer training programmes look at how pupils can support each other, the school community and staff by either supporting play, study skills or resolving conflict. 

We have now delivered this training in a variety of settings across the country including primary, secondary and special schools. It has clear benefits for young people and the pupils they mentor. These are usually delivered over two mornings but if you would prefer we can deliver the training in a whole day.

To deliver to the training we use a variety of approaches to support the students learning. The sessions include information sharing, circle time discussion, game playing and role play. Each student will be left with a completed handbook that can be used for reference at a later stage. Our aim is to make the training programme interactive and fun so pupils really enjoy taking part. We provide a pack for schools interested in developing a peer scheme within their school that may help you consider which programme is right for you and where to start your recruitment process.

We have found that schools usually wish to focus their peer systems on certain objectives and we have therefore developed a range of peer programmes, with suitable versions to suit both primary and secondary pupils, to try to support this. We have developed four main programmes, however all of our training is bespoke and if you wish to develop a different programme of peer work within your school or extend or re visit an existing scheme we would be happy to support this at no extra cost. Our main peer programmes are:-

• RJ Conflict Resolution Peer Facilitator
• Playground Peer Mentors
• Study Skills Peer Mentors
• Listening Mentors who support and signpost

RJ Peer Facilitation training: Peer facilitators have proved to be very successful at helping their schools resolve low level conflict using restorative chats. We have had a great deal of success with this programme and are rightfully very proud that with the right training, support and supervision schools are able to develop programmes where pupils that are able to help their school resolve low level conflict with a positive no-blame approach.

• The role of Peer Facilitator
• Benefits to School/Facilitator/Pupils
• Friendship
• How to listen and other communication skills
• Empathy and assertiveness
• Secrets, Confidentiality and Child Protection
• How to resolve conflict restoratively
• Seeing both sides of a situation
• How to have a restorative chat
• What a Peer Facilitator should never do

Peer Panel training we look at:

• The role of Peer Panellist
• Benefits to School/Pupils
• Friendship
• How to listen and other communication skills
• Empathy and assertiveness
• Secrets, Confidentiality and Child Protection
• How to have a restorative chat
• How to be a Peer Mentor/Facilitator
• How to resolve conflict restoratively
• What a Peer panellist should never do

Playground Peer Mentors - this concentrates on training peers to help develop positive play skills within the playground, in the belief that pupils who are actively engaged in positive social time develop better communication skills and as a result there is less conflict and happier pupils. We look at:-

• The role of Peer Mentor
• Benefits to School/Mentor/Pupils
• Friendship
• How to listen
• Empathy and assertiveness
• Secrets, Confidentiality and Child Protection
• How to support other pupils with positive play skills
• How to play games with other pupils
      o Ball and bean bag games
      o Traditional playground games
• Signposting Issues to members of staff
• What a Mentor should never do

Study Skills Peer Mentors – this is a class based peer programme where your pupils are trained to support the study skills, learning and organisational skills that pupils need to achieve their potential.

• The role of Peer Mentor
• Benefits to School/Mentor/Pupils
• Friendship
• How to listen
• Empathy and assertiveness
• What worries pupils
• How to support other pupils with
     o Organisational skills
     o Learning skills
     o Study skills
     o Information and signposting
• Secrets, Confidentiality and Child Protection
• What a Mentor should never do

Listening Peer Mentors – Some schools may feel that their pupils are not quite ready to resolve conflict on behalf of their peers but would like them to listen, support and signpost issues to named members of staff.

• The role of Peer Listener
• Benefits to School/Peer Listener/Pupils
• Friendship
• How to listen and other communication skills
• Empathy and assertiveness
• Secrets, Confidentiality and Child Protection
• Helping others see both sides of a situation
• Signposting issues to named members of staff
• What a Peer Listener should never do

Cost – Peer Mentoring or Facilitation Training

1 Day £750*

2 x Half days £900*

Peer Mentor/Facilitator Training for Trainers

A one day Training for Trainers programme to allow schools to deliver their own Peer Training, we look at:-

• Role of Peer Mentors
• Benefits of Peer Mentors within Schools
• Who should be a Peer Mentor
• Peer Mentor/Facilitator/RJ Champion – looking at the different roles Peers can deliver in school
• Recruitment
• Implementation
• A detailed look at your training programme

Our training package includes electronic copies of our:-

~ PowerPoint Presentation of your training
~ Peer Application Forms
~ Peer Handbooks
~ Peer Certificates

This can be delivered to as an in-school training package or you can attend one of our training dates:-

About Us: Restorative Justice 4 Schools Ltd is a leading restorative training provider who is registered with the Restorative Justice Council and have signed the Restorative Justice Council’s Trainers Code of Practice which indicates a commitment to adhere to its practices and principles. We are a small but very experienced training provider we keep our costs low by not having expensive office suites and our associate trainers work with us on an assignment by assignment basis.  Part of our service is to provide a comprehensive follow up service and on-going support either by telephone or email at no extra cost. 

Glynis Gabriel our lead peer trainer is an ex Head and is highly experienced in both restorative justice and peer programmes. Our Director Lynne Russell has extensive experience of working as a Restorative Justice Co-ordinator for an education excellence cluster and Reparation Officer within a London Youth Offending Team. They make up our team of full time trainers both have extensive experience in delivering restorative practice training to in secondary, primary, specials and alternative curriculum education.

We have produced a restorative approaches schools’ implementation pack that you may find useful, if you would like a copy you are able to download one from our website following the link below.   If you need any more information please do not hesitate to phone or email me.

Link to implementation pack – this can also be found from our website home page  http://www.restorativejustice4schools.co.uk

* Cost excludes VAT and trainers expenses