by Sharlene Chadwick
 Download this article 127.80 Kb
Back to new Transitions - Re-Engagement Edition

Introduction

In the weeks leading up the commencement of the school year, while launching the State Government's ‘social and emotional' education strategy for 2008, Education Minister Rod Welford commented on the need to provide school based programs to encourage positive behaviour and social skills in children and young people. While Mr Welford's comments have been seen as controversial by both parents and teachers, there is no denying there is a very strong link between how connected students feel to school, and how well they function in other areas of their lives. There is a role for social and emotional education within the current framework because studies have shown that generally speaking, those who feel connected to their school community and their peers are less likely to suffer a range of social and emotional problems.

Take for example the case of Ben, a Year 7 student. Ben was not what you would call typically ‘disengaged'. He wasn't disruptive and noisy with falling grades. In fact, he was so quiet you would barely know he was in class ... But it was precisely this ‘invisibility' that had his teachers worried.

All of the students at Ben's school participate in the Peer Support Program. The program is integrated into the school's curriculum and teaches students important life skills and community values. In the case of the Year 7 students, it also teaches leadership skills enabling them to act in a positive mentoring role within the school, establishing relationships with younger students, enhancing a spirit of kinship across the school.

Ben became a ‘Peer Leader' and this was a significant turning point for him. When asked to ‘step up to the mark and be an example for his younger peers', Ben embraced the opportunity and really came out of his shell. He is now more communicative and responsive with other students and teachers, and much more engaged in group activities which are having a positive effect not only on his class work, but his overall contribution to the school across many areas. Ben has learned life skills, which will not only assist his transition into high school, but beyond - into adulthood.

Ben is just one positive example of the Peer Support Program in action. Peer Support Australia has a track record of success stories that spans 30 years. Predominantly, the program has operated in New South Wales schools - with funding assistance from the NSW Government. The program is also now available in Queensland.

One of the reasons the Peer Support Program enjoys a high level of success is that it is not based on the theory if teachers understand what is causing a student's disengagement, they can do something about it. While this is certainly a sound philosophy it does rely heavily on an honest dialogue between student and teacher and is potentially a strategy that would really only encounter success in smaller well resourced schools where teachers can spend significant one on one time with students developing mutual trusting, open relationships. Peer groups at school are a powerful factor for engagement of young people. Over 96% of young people believe being connected to peers is important and friendships and socialising are the most important factors in engaging with school. This suggests that for young people who are alienated from their families, peer connectedness may be their most important protective factor. Learning is a social activity: our learning is intimately associated with our connection with other human beings, our teachers, our peers, our family as well as casual acquaintances.

On the other hand, peer led interventions such as the Peer Support Program have demonstrated success in all schools, and have an important role to play in larger schools where teacher resources are limited and stretched, as well as in cases where students are rebelling against authority figures and teacher/student relationships are at risk and where student attachment to school is poor.

What is the Peer Support Program?

The Peer Support Program is a peer led, skills based, experiential learning program. The emphasis of the program is on developing and enhancing skills amongst young people for lifelong learning and wellbeing. The program is integrated into curricula, sustained from Year 1 through to Year 12.

The Peer Support Program is aligned with national frameworks including the National Safe Schools Framework, Values Education Framework, MindMatters, KidsMatter and the National Centre Against Bullying. The program has been developed over a number of years and schools which implement the Peer Support Program are invited to provide ongoing feedback as part of a continuing quality assurance process. This process ensures the program content is modified in line with current thought and practice in teaching and learning and keeps the program relevant for students of all ages.

Another of the reasons the Peer Support Program is so successful is simply that it is peer led. In a national survey of 29,000 young people recently carried out by Mission Australia, young people were asked to rank what they valued. Family relationships and friendships were highly valued by a very significant proportion of respondents and ranked first and second respectively. Physical and mental health was ranked third. This survey confirmed that 86% of respondents identified friends as their main source of advice.

The potential is compelling in view of the preference of young people to be supported by peers. One study found secondary school students spend twice as much time with their peers as with their parents or other adults. Peers become potentially powerful models for socialisation, positive behaviours, motivation and achievement. More recently, researchers have acknowledged peer groups in bringing about positive changes. Given these findings, traditional mental health programs may not succeed in providing effective intervention. Schools remiss in capitalising on the help seeking patterns of adolescents may be forfeiting valuable opportunities to address student engagement.

Anecdotal evidence supplied by participating schools also attests to the program's success, and this ‘intangible' evidence was recently supported by independent research conducted by both the University of Western Sydney (UWS) and James Cook University (JCU).

Case studies were conducted by JCU in 2005 to determine the effectiveness of the Peer Support Program in Primary schools. Findings concluded the program has a constructive influence on:

• developing social relations and interactions;
• contributing positively to whole school activities; and
• demonstrating understandings of abstract concepts.
  

A longitudinal study was conducted by UWS in 2001-02 which involved 2,300 secondary students to determine the efficacy of the Peer Support Program. The results found positive long term benefits for students and school communities by achieving cultural change. The results found the Peer Support Program:

• assisted students to successfully negotiate the transition from primary to secondary school;
• increased the self confidence of those participating;
• increased their enjoyment of school;
• improved relationships with others - peers and teachers;
• improved perceptions of support from others;
• developed cooperative teamwork;
• developed positive academic self concept; and
• successfully changed attitudes toward bullying behaviours.

The Peer Support Program can also be specifically used as a means of countering aggressive behaviour, decelerating anger arousal and reducing bullying in secondary schools. There is evidence to suggest the Peer Support Program is effective in decreasing the negative effects of bullying behaviours. As the Peer Support Program is a universal intervention program early intervention is paramount in decreasing the potential negative effects of transition.

The research found the Peer Support Program is an excellent mechanism for facilitating social change across year groups and hence creating a positive school climate. It can also be a powerful strategy for enhancing the leadership ability of students. There is also solid evidence to suggest it has the potential to make significant contributions to schools efforts to achieve positive outcomes. In addition, 33% of students reported the Peer Support Program enhanced students' communication, social, decision making and problem solving skills.

"Peer Support is like a key to unlock the qualities you never thought you'd have for your life," says one student Peer leader.

These results are clearly a positive endorsement of the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Peer Support Program in schools. It provided students with a source of social and psychological support that may be otherwise lacking in their lives and develops capacity building skills. When asked to consider the benefits, there was consensus among students and teachers that the participants gained a sense of acceptance and understanding from their peers. "It has helped me gain stronger friendships with my peers," says one student. Several of the students also indicated the experience provided them with a sense of social connection and self worth and improved their coping skills.

Limitations

The organisation of the Peer Support Program within individual schools also presents limitations to the effectiveness of the Program. Several schools deviated from the best practice model as recommended by Peer Support Australia. A number of Peer leaders reported they received little useful feedback from teachers. It is imperative teachers ensure the Peer leaders are provided with constant support and frequent opportunities to be debriefed about their experiences. Results suggest it may be beneficial for schools to allocate additional time and resources to the coordinator of the Peer Support Program so teachers can effectively brief and debrief Peer leaders. This provides them with useful feedback and gives them appropriate levels of support throughout the Peer Support Program.

Peer leaders also indicated they would have appreciated greater teacher support during the actual sessions. Peer Support Australia advocates teachers actively supervise the groups however, this is not always the case. To maximise the potential for success, school based interventions such as the Peer Support Program requires the continued support of teachers, including those not directly involved. Interventions such as the Peer Support Program result in deviations to the normal school routine and thus the support of the entire staff is necessary.

A delay for some schools in commencing the Peer Support Program at the start of the year resulted in several students indicating that participating in sessions which focused on orientation to the secondary school environment would have been more beneficial at the start of the year. Some schools were conducting orientation sessions in term 2 - May or June. This was necessitated because of the initial testing that needed to be conducted and time constraints within individual schools. Peer Support Australia recommends the orientation component of the Peer Support Program be conducted in the first few weeks of students beginning secondary school to gain the maximum benefits.

Several teachers within the schools indicated the implementation of the Peer Support Program would be easier the following year. It must be noted all schools involved in this research had not previously conducted a Peer Support Program and various issues may have arisen due to their inexperience in conducting such a program in their schools.

Conclusion

There is currently strong evidence that school based intervention programs can achieve positive mental health outcomes in terms of reduced risk and increased functioning. There is also strong evidence for the effectiveness of the Peer Support Program as a prevention program related to adolescent mental health by highlighting the ability to impact upon the mental health of young people. Mental health is considered to be a state of emotional and social wellbeing in which individuals can cope with the normal stresses of life and achieve their potential. It includes being able to work productively and contribute to community life. One in seven young people aged 4 -17 years are reported to have a mental health problem - internalising problems such as anxiety, depression; and externalising problems such as oppositional defiance, conduct disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders. Mental health problems can be identified by gender. Girls aged 4 -14 years have a higher proportion of internalising problems, while for boys in the same age group, externalising problems are more common.

Evidence continues to accumulate regarding child and adolescent mental health problems in Australia. When implemented effectively, the Peer Support Program improves the mental wellbeing of students. The Peer Support Program is a valuable learning experience for students and in conjunction with other strategies provides a powerful tool for engaging young people in education.

For further information www.peersupport.edu.au.

About the Author

Sharlene Chadwick is the Training and Development Manager for Peer Support Australia, an organisation she has been with for 13 years. She has a background in secondary education and has been involved in the research, evaluation and development of peer led programs for several years. Sharlene has a Masters in Professional Education and Training and is currently researching the positive effects of the Peer Support Program's Anti-bullying programs through Deakin University.

---

Share this Page!