Peer Mediators Forum

The Annual Peer Mediator’s Forum honors student mediators for their commitment to helping fellow students resolve conflicts peacefully through mediation. Every year the Conflict Resolution Education Collaborative develops a new theme for the forum that reflects student interests and current events. We are currently planning our Forum for 2011 and welcome your ideas! Take a look below at what we have done in the past…

Forum 2010: This year's forum featured Carol Grosman, founder of Jerusalem Stories Projects, an organization which uses storytelling as a tool for conflict transformation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ms. Grosman presented several of the stories from both sides of the conflict and showed a photo exhibition. The participants included over 100 students and coordinators from 9 middle and high schools across the North Shore. The participants raved about the forum calling it: a "Life-changing experience" and saying that: "The storytelling was really good. It felt like the actual person was speaking to me." The participants had group discussions about the power of storytelling in peer mediation and how they could improve their peer mediation program. Century Bank and Eastern Bank generously supported the forum which was held at the Peabody Marriott.

FORUM 2009 : The 6th Annual Peer Mediators’ Forum was held at Salem State College on March 20th.  The 60+ student mediators who attended enjoyed a lively and interactive presentation by Dr. Ulric Johnson, a counselor, educator, and director of Teens Against Gang Violence.  Dr. Johnson challenged the students to question their definition of a gang and the power that this association can have.  He used his 10Cs model of Diversity Awareness and Social Change to provide clear language to talk about diversity.  He helped the peer mediators to better understand how the mediation services that they provide to their schools will promote real change that will have an impact on all of the students.   In the words of one participant, "It wasn't a boring field trip like usual - it was exciting and I learned so much".  After the presentation, students from Lynnfield High School, Nantucket High School, Higgins Middle School in Peabody and Rupert A. Nock Middle School in Newburyport shared the successes and challenges of their individual peer mediation programs.

FORUM 2008 : The theme was “Lessons in Forgiveness and Reconciliation: What does it mean to you? Is saying I’m sorry enough?” featured a keynote address by, Kimmie Weeks, internationally acclaimed advocate for the welfare of children and survivor of the Liberian civil war, who urged students and teachers to "use their mediation skills to become pioneers of change." Following Kimmie’s address, local mediator, teacher and artist, John Sarrouf lead the middle and high school students in a discussion about how reconciliation works and tested their understanding in small group discussions of real life scenarios. One peer mediator, while waiting for an autograph from Kimmie remarked, “I am so moved and inspired. Now I see how mediation can work in the world”. Find more information email Kimmie Weeks.

FORUM 2007 : This theme focused on the positive and negative uses of power and featured keynote speaker, Doug Wilhelm, author of the recent book, “The Revealers”. Standing at 6’10, Wilhelm ‘revealed’ his own personal story of being bullied as a young adult with the student mediators. He spoke of the importance of treating others with respect and pointed to several examples of how bullying could result in tragedy such as the events at Columbine High School or Virginia Tech. He then shared two anonymous stories from other youth groups, illustrating both positive and negative uses of power and bullying. Students then had the opportunity to write and share their own personal “power” story. Student stories offered perspectives such as being a bystander to bullying, how it feels to be the victim of bullying and being the bully. One student noted, “I am glad I got to share something that I have held in”. Another student reflected, “It made you ask yourself, ‘Why did I do that?’ or ‘Why do people act this way?’ The forum discussion concluded that there is no one answer and that building a safe context to talk about these issues, like peer mediation, has never been more important. Find more information email Doug Wilhelm.

FORUM 2006 : Dynamic keynote speaker, Dr. Jim Fitzgerald, founder of the nationally recognized Student Leadership Team program, challenged students to “lead by example” and utilize their mediation skills every day to promote a more peaceful school climate. “Dr. Jim” offered icebreakers that revealed differences and similarities among the students. Small group discussions were facilitated by Peabody High School mediators and gave students an opportunity to compare his/her individual school experience with conflict and talk about ways to resolve or eliminate it. The groups were mixed—middle and high school, rural and urban—to maximize diversity and encourage lively discussion. While the students were meeting, the program coordinators gathered to share the challenges and successes of their schools’ programs, ways to increase referrals and to publicize peer mediation in their school communities. Several coordinators of new programs found this particularly informative and helpful. For more information visit Dr. Jim Fitzgerald.

FORUM 2005 : Keynote speaker, “Dr. Phil” Laidlaw, a psychologist and Director of the Diversity Committee for the Brookline Center, looked at issues of bias, prejudice, and bullying and how mediation can help resolve the conflicts they create for students. In addition, Mamadou Diop, an irresistible, energetic master rhythm guitarist and drummer presented a world-class cultural experience. Mamadou’s original songs are primarily sung in Wolof, the language of Senegal, West Africa. The sound is a guitar and drum-led eclectic West-African pop that includes the rhythms of high-life, juju, rumba, samba, salsa, and reggae blended into authentic Senegalese ethnic rhythms. For more information visit Mamadou.

FORUM 2004 : Our goal of the first Peer Mediators Forum was to bring students together and honor them for their hard work as ambassadors of their schools. Judge Cornetta from Salem District Court, Representatives from the Probation Office and Administrative Office of the Trial Court along with several North Shore Legislators attended to show their support for our peer mediators. Students had the opportunity to share personal stories about what they were learning and practicing and reflect on the impact these skills had on their lives and schools. Keynote speaker, Ed Harris, from the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service Departmenthelped students see how their mediation skills could be used in their careers and in a real world context.