PEER COUNSELLING   

The Peer Counselling Scheme at Flegg High School offers support and advice to pupils facing difficult situations who need help but feel unable to confide in an adult.  It was set up in 2000 by Sarah Mintey, a technology teacher at the school, as part of the development of anti-bullying strategies.  The mechanics of the scheme were clarified at a regional Childline conference, which set standards for the selection and training of counsellors, and a Barclays New Futures award enabled the school to set aside a comfortably furnished and attractive small room for private consultations.

Since 2003, when Flegg High became the first “Childline Training School”, our counsellors have visited over thirty schools to explain how they can initiate a scheme similar to ours.  They have proved able ambassadors for the principle of peer counselling, and are regularly invited to take part in Childline’s national conferences.

The scheme functions in a very simple way.  If you are unhappy because of bullying or for any other reason, and want to share your feelings in confidence with a fellow-pupil, you “book” a meeting with your chosen counsellor, who joins you privately in the “pink room” at the appointed time.  Nothing follows automatically, and you may or may not choose to follow your counsellor’s advice, but the old adage “A problem shared is a problem halved” often holds good.  Thanks to Childline’s training and their own enthusiasm and sense of responsibility, our counsellors have gained an enviable reputation for sympathetic listening, balanced decision-making and well-judged advice and support.

An essential aspect of the scheme is the key role played by pupils in selecting counsellors and managing day-to-day operation.  Regular support meetings are held, enabling adults to monitor and advise the counsellors;  but a pupil who seeks help from the scheme need not be aware of any staff involvement.  Very many young people at Flegg have regained happiness and self-confidence through sharing their problems with a sympathetic and discreet contemporary.

A BRIEF HISTORY

The Peer Counselling Scheme at Flegg High owes its origin to Sarah Mintey’s post-graduate research, which led her to explore ways in which pupil-to-pupil support could be developed as an effective antidote to teenage bullying.  With the active encouragement of Head, senior management and teaching staff, the present scheme was introduced in September 2000, together with the Student Council, a prefectorial system and a vertical tutoring structure.  The details of the Scheme were established at a Childline conference attended by six local schools, where the following points were accepted:

• pupils’ ideas were central to the operation of the scheme;
• they worked with supportive guiding adults (in our case we had Sarah Mintey, Mike Ward (Pastoral Deputy) and excellent relations with Childline);
• a “youth-friendly” private room would be needed – certainly not a classroom or an office;
• it was vital to have equal numbers of boy and girl counsellors (at the conference only 28% of delegates were boys);
• regular meetings would be held with key staff and minutes circulated to all counsellors;
• a rota system would prevent the workload from falling to a handful of willing individuals;
• counsellors, who were already busy, would choose when they could contribute to the rota but would then make their commitment a top priority;
• roles would be clearly defined and rigorous training given;
• the code of practice which evolved out of experience would be monitored by staff and pupils alike.

Thanks to a Barclays New Futures Award, we were able to decorate and furnish an attractive and comfortable room well away from the daily hurly-burly.  Now known as the “Pink Room”, it is always available for peer consultation.  Its presence has undoubtedly helped to make the school feel a warmer place.

The outline scheme was launched, very positively and persuasively, through a series of school assemblies, and almost one-seventh of all pupils came forward to offer their services.  The Student Council short-listed the applicants to 60, basing the selection on the quality of written applications.  The final interviewing panel, comprising Student Council leaders, Mr. Ward and Miss Mintey and a trained counsellor, appointed 24 counsellors, one from each form.  Real attempts were then made to find meaningful roles for those not chosen.