Princess Diana Award Success for Flegg!!

The Peer Support Scheme has yet again been recognised by the wonderful Princess Diana Award Scheme. The picture and text below appeared in the Eastern Daily Press on Thursday, 17th May when 16 year 10 Peer Support Trainers received their award from Norwich City legend Jeremy Goss.

Article from EDP, 17th May 2007

Norwich City legend Jeremy Goss yesterday presented prestigious Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Awards to 16 youngsters from Flegg High School, Martham for their work in peer support counselling.

The Year 10 pupils are the latest generation of counsellors from a school that pioneered the concept of youngsters offering support to fellow pupils after forging links with ChildLine about seven years ago.

The presentation of thw awards - which recognise the service of young people to their school or community - took place at Carrow Road's study support centre which Flegg High uses to train counsellors for other schools across Norfolk.

Mr Goss was able to watch the counsellors in action, training youngsters from Cromer High School to develop their own scheme.

Flegg Deputy Head Mike Ward said: "The idea developed out of our thinking that the best people to sort out young people's problems were young people themselves. It started as an anti-bullying scheme but has evolved to deal with everything from relationship problems, difficulties with teachers and friends to even issues at home. The young counsellors have to learn when to keep confidences and when it is appropriate to pass on information to someone like me, for example if a child is at risk from drugs or abuse. In the time the scheme has been running, it has helped to identify 12 cases of child abuse and, without peer counselling, the victim may have felt there was nowhere else to turn."

Mr Ward said Flegg had been recognised by the Diana scheme as a "Gold" school. He said: "We were the forerunners of it, but I now firmly believe every school should have its own scheme - even primary schools could have counsellors to deal with a more limited range of issues." He said counselling gave huge lessons in life skills to those undertaking it and a big boost in self-esteem and confidence.

Earlier in the month four Year 11 pupils from Flegg High, as a designated “Gold” school,  were invited to the Houses of Parliament for a reception to celebrate the Princess Diana Awards.