Mediation in the Education Sector
At all levels of society there is conflict and this can be especially true
for our youngsters growing up in a society which makes conflicting and confusing
demands. This may manifest itself in:
- Playground arguments at school
- Relationship issues on campus
- Failure to complete assignments punctually and other performance issues
- Falling out with friends or family
- Name-calling, teasing and verbal abuse
- Bullying and fighting between fellow pupils and/or staff
- Increased absenteeism for staff and young people
- Disputes between school and families
- Bullying between staff
Unresolved conflicts can malinger for ages and make young people and adults in contact with them thoroughly miserable. They lose self-esteem; work and family life suffer. These disputes often resurface in the wider community as antisocial behaviour and involve considerable expenditure of time and money in being brought to court, or dealt with by Social Services, Young Offender Teams, the Education, College or University Authorities.
Homes or schools may need help in coping with the effects of this just as
much as the young person or member of staff does. Effective conflict management
involves all those who are involved with young people.
Mediation can…
- help resolve disputes between parents and schools.
- help achieve attendance targets
- significantly reduce exclusion and drop-out rates
- be instrumental in resolving issues around the ‘statementing’ of schoolchildren from the earliest stage of the process right through to providing an alternative to Tribunals.
- resolve behavioural issues and bullying whether it occurs between colleagues, peers or pupils and staff.
Peer Mediation Workshops
Out of Conflict can deploy its specialists to train young people, teachers and leaders in the skills that will help youngsters resolve conflict in a creative way and which will be of use to them for the rest of their lives. This is often referred to as peer mediation training and the process is the key element as much as the outcomes. Its curriculum relevance alone is significant, as exemplified by the SEAL and Every Child Matters initiatives.
Out of Conflict is better than being in conflict.