Peer Support in Action

‘COMMUNITY CIRCLES’

Within Community Circles, older children support younger children by adopting the roles of group leader (or PALS; Peer and Life Support) and friend. Following training provided by adult supervisors, group leaders work in pairs meeting younger children weekly. These Community Circle sessions follow a set structure each time. Group leaders begin by prompting younger circle members to share experiences relating to the previous session. Then, group leaders explain the purpose of the current session, raising certain issues through use of a story line. All members are then given the opportunity to thank other members for any act of generosity displayed over the previous week. Afterwards, every group member is given a small task to achieve over the following week. Community Circle sessions conclude with group leaders thanking everyone for their contribution throughout the session.

There are many claimed benefits from Community Circles. In addition to encouraging greater local community and parental involvement in schools, Community Circles place older children in a position to help their peers with minor problems, allowing adults more opportunity to deal with serious difficulties. Older children trained in peer support skills also have an opportunity to consolidate their learning through behaving as role models. Additional to the group leadership and facilitation skills developed by group leaders, are the listening, talking, co-operation, working with others, emotional literacy, self-confidence, affirmation, problem solving, conflict resolution, empathy, and awareness of others skills developed by the whole Circle.

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Last Update: August 2, 2004