When strong feelings create conflicts, school mediation is the solution

Peer mediation is a fixed part of the conflict resolution tools at Ranum Skole. Since peer mediation was implemented, the number of long conflicts between the pupils has decreased as many conflicts are solved via mediation before they escalate. In practice, this means greater well-being and hereby better possibilities of optimum learning for the school’s pupils.

At Ranum Skole they have worked with mediation since spring 2004. The idea arised in the pupils’ council and it was positively received by the schools’ teachers and management. The pupils’ council invited Nina Raaschou from the Municipality of Copenhagen to come to the school and tell the schools’ teachers and pupils’ council about media; what it is and how it can be used. Now new peer mediators are trained every year, and the school is part of the national network for schools working with conflict resolution.

A type of conflict resolution
Peer mediation is a type of conflict resolution where older pupils are mediating between younger pupils. In practice, this means that when a conflict between younger pupils arises, it is the pupils themselves – perhaps together with a teacher – who decide whether the conflict is suitable for mediation. If this is the case, one of the two adult contact persons for mediation work at the school is contacted.

- Once we have been informed about the conflict we start finding a time, place and some qualified mediators, says Head of Department Sonja Abrahamsen who is one of the contact persons for the school’s mediation work.

The school’s experiences show that it is a good idea to follow certain guidelines when mediators are selected for different jobs.

- As a minimum, the mediators must be from a class that is one or two grades higher than the conflicting parties needing mediation. Furthermore, a mediator should not participate if one of his or her best friends is involved in the conflict. Our organisation of mediations is very flexible, and we adjust all conditions to the specific conflict. For instance, it is mostly girls who mediate in conflicts related to girl rivalry, says Sonja Abrahamsen.

Peer mediators from 4th to 9th grade
The pupils at Ranum Skole can enrol as mediators from the 4th grade and some of them continue until the 9th grade. Normally, the youngest mediators do not have their own mediations the first couple of years. They participate in courses and train themselves in this way. When they enter 5th or 6th grade, most of them are ready for some easy mediation jobs between the youngest pupils.

- The advantage of the large spreading in age is that the pupils have the opportunity of having quite many years of experience as mediators. This means that they become better and better as they grow older and eventually they can participate in passing good advice and guidance on to the new mediators, says Sonja Abrahamsen.

Training as peer mediator
The peer mediators are trained by Social Pedagogue Johnny Nielsen who is a “Streetwalker” (reaching-out employee) in the Municipality of Løgstør. The peer mediators are trained every year partly on a training day for new mediators and partly on another day for all mediators – both new one and old ones.

The Municipality of Løgstør is part of a project about conflict mediation for 12-15 year olds coordinated by The Danish Crime Prevention Council.

As part of the project, conflict mediator Johnny Nielsen is working across the environment of the young people as he functions as mediator in schools, clubs and leisure time.

Conflict mediation for the 12-15 year olds is specifically targeted at children and young people who are likely to do criminal activities, but also aims at supporting the young people in ordinary conflicts that have escalated and come out of their control.

- Johnny Nielsen is the instructor both days. On the first day he goes through some theoretical issues about what mediation is, what the purpose is, which role the mediator has etc. Besides this they also work with mediation via different case stories on the first day. On the following day, they work with case stories only, says Sonja Abrahamsen.

If mediation is needed between pupils from 7th to 9th grade, the contact teacher for the pupils’ council Jens Christian Ullveit-Moe steps in, and if assistance from outside is needed, Johnny Nielsen is called to mediate.

Conflicts and strong feelings
Conflicts between pupils at Ranum Skole often arise because strong feelings are at stake. This can be girl rivalry, problems related to love affairs, bullying, violence, provocative behaviour, or battles of positions in the class. At the school, a clear connection is noted between conflict resolution and fighting bullying, as no matter if it is called conflict or bullying something must be done when pupils are not well. Via mediation, it is attempted to create mutual sympathy and understanding between the two parties. If two children understand each other, the changes of them not irritating and teasing one another are better.

- Mediation has become part of the culture at Ranum Skole. All teacher or pupils are aware of mediation is a possibility and many are taking advantage of the offer. We have many small conflicts and few large ones throughout a school year. Our corps of mediators is always ready to turn out and help with problems and disagreements that arise, says Sonja Abrahamsen.

See also

• Ranum Skole