Peer Mediation

Through our Peer Mediation program, MCD is training future leaders to turn arguments into opportunities for learning and deepening friendships. Whereas students commonly use avoidance, gossip, verbal attack or physical violence to confront interpersonal problems, Peer Mediation teaches them an alternative non-adversarial approach. In addition to repairing friendships, the strategy prevents minor incidents from escalating and reduces the need for authoritative disciplinary action.

MCD has conducted Peer Mediation training programs in three Bangalore schools for students in 8th, 9th and 10th standards. Through this training, students develop more sophisticated ways to communicate in conflict situations with their peers. They also learn how to be a neutral mediator of peer disputes in which they are not directly involved.

MCD has also been working with students, teachers and administrators in one renowned Bangalore middle school to institutionalize a school-wide Peer Mediation program. In the past year, MCD trained twenty students to use mediation for resolving disputes amongst their peers. As a result, students at the school do not always have to seek teacher and administrative intervention. Their own peers help them manage their differences and re-establish communication with their schoolmates.

Peer Mediation empowers young people to take responsibility for their disputes. Students learn that if they started the fight, they should resolve it, too.