Peer mediators are middle and high school students who are trained to help others in their schools resolve conflicts. Peer mediation is predicated on the idea that students, who share similar experiences and levels of power, are more able to trust, connect with, and understand one another. Students have more immediate knowledge of what their peers are experiencing, and are more able to solve problems with one another, compared to when the mediators are teachers, parents, or other adults.
Once they are trained, peer mediators help fellow students resolve disputes throughout the school year. They may also assist in providing conflict resolution training to other students, or co-mediating parent/student disputes alongside an adult mediator. Peer mediators are supervised by school staff, and receive ongoing mediation training.
Quabbin Mediation 