Safe space is spreading in schools in Chernihiv region

In early February 2020, a training was held for the next Chernihiv schools that are ready to introduce School Understanding Services (SHS).

In addition to training in basic mediator skills, activists organized a training for trainers, the participants of which were mediators from already established SHS. Now school activists can independently conduct training for the next generation of student mediators.

At the request of the administrations of educational institutions, during 2019-2020, the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights participated in the implementation of more than 10 School Understanding Services in the Chernihiv region.

How to create a safe school environment?

What are effective mechanisms for preventing adolescent aggression? The Institute of School Understanding Services (hereinafter referred to as the SHS) is increasingly gaining momentum and relevance. SHS is a team of trained high school mediators (

mediators

), who, under the guidance of the SHS coordinator (usually a social educator or school psychologist), help their peers resolve conflicts peacefully and work to create a safe atmosphere in the educational institution. To achieve this goal, mediators, together with the SHS coordinator, apply restorative practices – peer mediation, mediation of conflict situations, decision-making circles, family group meetings, training exercises on developing conflict resolution skills.

What does the creation and functioning of the SHS in an educational institution provide?

First, the introduction of such a security center allows you to involve your peers in solving the problem. They themselves make decisions regarding its solution and take responsibility for its implementation.

In such conditions, children can express their own opinion and not submit to the authority of their elders, because they often trust each other even more than teachers or psychologists. Thus, due to the absence of authoritarianism and imposing opinions on students, the conflict is usually resolved faster, and the decision made better satisfies the interests of the conflicting parties and is implemented in the vast majority of cases.

In addition, one of the important values ​​in the activities of the SHSP is respect for each other. Observing the calm and balanced behavior of the mediator, the parties to the conflict are tuned to a positive perception of the situation and a serious approach to its resolution.

To begin the work of the School Mediation Service, selected students in grades 8-10 who enjoy authority among their peers at school and have expressed a desire to participate in the training, undergo training “Basic Skills of a School Understanding Service Mediator” using the model of engaged learning, with constant discussion, creative tasks, group work, and creative presentation of information.

During the 4-day training, participants gain knowledge and develop their own communication skills that are necessary for mediators, share with each other their experience in resolving various conflict situations that arise at school and beyond, discuss similar situations together, and develop recommendations for behavior and response during a conflict.

According to the feedback from the coordinators of the School Mediation Service (social educators and/or psychologists), the peer mediation program has a fairly effective impact on the upbringing of children, helps to establish a friendly, tolerant, safe atmosphere in the educational institution.

According to the program manager of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights

Kateryna Dankova

, mediation, that is, a peaceful way of resolving conflicts, is becoming increasingly popular. Back in 2010, the School Mediation Service model was recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science for implementation in educational institutions of Ukraine as an effective tool for reducing violence and cruelty in the youth environment and preventing delinquency among children and young people.

The project is implemented by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights with the support of the Canadian Foundation for Local Initiatives.