Peer Support Australia - Implementation Workshop

Mental Health

Peer Support Australia - Implementation Workshop

Overview

Ages

Locations

Peer Support Australia provides school communities with an evidence based, peer led approach to enhance the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young people. The Peer Support Program is integrated into curricula and sustained through all year groups. It supports positive cultural change within schools by incorporating a range of strategies developed through collaboration with members of the whole school community for the specific needs of the school.

The Peer Support Program:

Is a peer led, skills based, experiential learning program
Empowers young people to support each other and contribute positively to society
Provides students with a supportive learning environment in which to develop the skills, understandings, attitudes and strategies to improve their mental, social and emotional wellbeing
Develops key skills in resilience, assertiveness, decision making, problem solving and leadership
Utilises a whole school approach to support positive cultural change
provides authentic leadership opportunities for Peer Leaders

How does the Peer Support Program work?

Key teachers attend a one day Implementation Workshop. The Workshop provides Coordinating Teachers with all the information needed to implement and maintain an effective Peer Support Program, and confidently train their Peer Leaders.
Teachers facilitate 2 days of Peer Leaders’ Training with their Peer Leaders at school. In primary schools, trained Year 6 Peer Leaders facilitate sessions with multi-aged groups of about 8-10 students from Kindergarten to Year 5.
In secondary schools, trained Year 10 Peer Leaders facilitate sessions with groups of 8-10 younger students from the entry year group.
Peer Leaders facilitate sessions from one of the 8 session modules.
Supervising Teachers provide support to the Peer Leaders through training, briefing, debriefing and supervision during the sessions.