A Peer Mediator is a student trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution and basic peace building skills to enable him/her settle conflicts in a non-violent and cooperative manner. S/he is a neutral person who helps the disputants solve their problems, and keeps the conflict confidential. He/she must also be a good listener. A peer mediator acts as a leader in his/her school, and most probably will grow to be a leader for our country.  WADREC organizes educational training and workshops to train the members in mediation. Basically, a peer mediator is a young peace keeper.  The mediator is usually of the same age as the people involved in the dispute, hence the name peer mediator.

A peer mediator’s main role is to help the disputants solve their own problems, thereby reducing violence in schools, while building a safer, more caring, and just school culture. He or she also has the responsibility of educating his peers about

HOW CAN ONE BECOME A PEER MEDIATOR?

Anyone can become a peer mediator by joining the Peer Mediation Club in his/her school since membership is open to any student in any school where a Peer Mediation Club has been established and is operational. However, if a person wants to be a peer mediator but has no PMC in their school, there are certain steps to follow to establish one in the school.

CLASSIFICATION OF PEER MEDIATOR

In school, Peer Mediation is mostly found in the school’s formal setting. Peer Mediators mostly help resolve disputes among their peers in school. Possible disputes that may arise include rumour mongering; petty quarrels, name calling etc. Though Peer Mediators are neutrals that help resolve disputes between parties, they are also encouraged to promote peace wherever they find themselves. It is a skill that Peer Mediator’s need to develop. It involves the early detection of possible disputes or conflict and using the requisite skill or steps to prevent or deescalate the dispute or conflict.

·         Out school

Out school Peer Mediators are mostly found in our various communities. They can also be found in most social places like the church, mosque, community parks or centres, the malls, the stadiums, etc. This class of Peer Mediators help resolve disputes among their peers in the various communities in which they find themselves. An example of an out-of-school dispute which may arise among peers is that of the tackle in a football match between two friends playing in opposing teams and the corresponding traded utterances that ensue.

STUDENTS URGED TO JOIN MEDIATION CLUB

Eunice Kotoku reported in the Ghanaian Times that, “the Headmaster of Chemu Secondary School, Mr. George Avorkliya observed that students would become more disciplined and responsible citizens in future when they join the Peer Mediators Club. “By learning about peace and practicing it, you become an asset to the community” he added. He was saying this at the Chemu Peer Mediators Handing over of Executives.

According to the reporter, he cited one past executive member who he said led an exemplary life in school since he joined the club. He said the boy, Emmanuel Pupulampu, always went round during examination week to pick up books that had been left in the class rooms after each day’s examination paper and gave them back to students they belonged to when school resumed. Mr. Avorkliya remarked if students were to behave like Emmanuel, nobody would complain about missing items in the school. He thanked the West Africa Dispute Resolution Centre for instituting such a club in the school, saying, if all students were peer mediators, there would be no traces of violence on our school campuses.

The reporter further stated that Ms. Georgette Francois congratulated the out going executives for their excellent leadership and tasked them to continue their good work wherever they found themselves. She said the peer mediation programme is aimed at reducing violence in schools while building a safer, more caring and just culture.  The paper also added that Ms Francois thanked the Headmaster and entire staff for supporting the peer mediation concept in schools saying that “we adults cannot solve young people’s problems for them. We can however, provide them with the knowledge, skills, and encouragement to resolve conflicts in a non-violent manner using words instead of fists and weapons.” According to the newspaper, she hinted her outfit will start setting up peer mediation panels in schools next academic year. The club patron, Mr. Ishmael Gbetanu however admonished the new executives to emulate the examples of their predecessors by working hard to win more souls for the club.

PEER MEDIATION CLUBS CLEANS GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION-ACCRA

Health can be defined as the complete well being of the body and the mind. Thus when the body is free from disease it sets the mind at peace and a clean environment leads to good health. It is in this regard that Peer Mediation club members of some schools embarked on a clean up exercise at Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in Accra, on Saturday 2nd December, 2006.

The exercise was carried out by students and teachers from Presby Boys Secondary, West African Secondary School, Tema Secondary School, Chemu Secondary School, Adabraka Presby J.S.S, Ayalolo ‘1’ J.S.S, Amamomo ‘1’ J.S.S, Private Odartey Lamptey School as well as WADREC staff members. Prior to the clean up itself, the students sang praise songs and danced after which an opening prayer was said by a peer mediator.
The Acting Director General of GBC, Mr. Yaw Owusu-Addo, also attended the programme together with some staff of GBC. The students were divided into groups with some weeding, others sweeping while the rest collected heaps of rubbish. At the end of the exercise, the students who were exhausted were refreshed by GBC at their canteen.
At the refreshment the Acting Director General was invited by Ms. Georgette Francois, the Executive Director of WADREC, to come and say a few words. In his remarks Mr. Yaw Owusu-Addo urged the students to remind their parents to pay the TV license fee which costs 3000 cedis per year only. He also thanked WADREC and the Peer Mediation clubs for taking time off their busy schedule to come and clean the premises of GBC. The Acting Director’s remarks were followed by a closing prayer said by Mr. Adama, the club patron of West African Secondary School (WASS) Peer Mediation club.
On the whole the clean up exercise was very successful and was enjoyed immensely by all and sundry.