Class 6 is selected to take part in the National Peer Mentoring and Anti-Bullying pilot

As the new academic year begins, 150 schools across England are set to take part in the National Peer Mentoring Anti Bullying Pilot.

Primary, secondary and special schools have been selected to be part of a two-year pilot that will look at how peer mentoring can contribute to tackling bullying in schools.

On 25th September, The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation who are managing the DCSF funded pilot, will launch the programme with the first of four regional training events for the participating schools.

Following the training day, more than 6,000 Peer Mentors will be recruited to work with fellow students, helping them to understand the impact of their actions and words on others and encouraging them to become active citizens in the school community.
“…Our school’s award- winning Peer Mentoring Anti-Bulling programme highlights time and again that for some young people, to be peer accountable has a far greater impact on their behaviour than the disapproval of an adult in authority...” Ailsa Bunch, Behaviour Manager, Morecambe High School.

The Anti-Bullying Peer Mentors will be a strong and visible presence in the schools promoting their message of support through workshops, assemblies, role-plays, student-written resources, display boards, open-days, drop-in centres and creative marketing campaigns as well as playing a central role in whole-school training days (for staff, pupils and parents)

While many schools in England already have effective peer mentoring and anti-bullying programmes in place, the pilot will support the introduction of peer mentoring models into the wider anti-bullying plan of each school whilst also establishing links to enhance initiatives such as SEAL and the Healthy Schools Programme.

The initiatives introduced in schools over the coming months will shape some major campaigns to run both nationally and regionally during Anti Bullying Week (17th-21st November 2008).

Steve Matthews, of the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation comments:

“We know from media coverage that the effects of bullying can take many different forms and can sometimes be tragic. We believe that peer mentoring by improving pupil relationships can have a significant impact on bullying in schools. Programmes can be very effective in turning an unhappy playground into a happy one and the positive outcome of peer mentoring felt by both peer mentors as well as by their mentees”