Resolving conflicts in schools –

Peer mediation in Finland

European best practices of restorative justice in the criminal procedure

27-29.4.2009 Budapest

Aarne KinnunenSaija Järvinen

Conflicts in Finnish schools

• The Finnish school's education system has concentrated on teaching and learning information (e.g. Pisa results) even though schooling also has other goals: e.g. teach communication skills, teach social skills and prevent exclusion from the society

• Students (esp. boys) are often unsatisfied with school environment

• Schools must take care that there is enough methods to prevent and react to conflicts in schools

Criminality of 15-16 year old pupilsSelf reported criminality

National research institute of legal policy

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Theaft Damagingproperty

Violence Bullying

%

1995

1996

1998

2001

2004

2008

Bullying in Finnish Schools

• Bullying is fairly common– Around 10 % of Finland’s primary school

pupils are bullied at least once a week– Furthermore16.3 per cent of the pupils are

bullied repeatedly, in other words 2-3 times per month

Bullying in Finnish schools

Bullying in Finnish Schools

• Bullying is often kept in silence– Finnish surveys on bullying in schools have

shown that the bullied often don’t talk about their experiences with grown-ups

• Bullying is a group phenomena– Christina Salmivalli: “Bullies”, “supporters”

and “the ones who accept = don't react”• Bullying towards girls and boys can appear in

different forms (physical violence, harassment etc.)

• Problem often lack of communication skills, especially with boys

Bullying in Finnish Schools

• A history of bullying other children in the lower grades of school appears to correlate with mental health problems and crime - especially violent crime - as an adult (Pulkkinen etc.)

• Being bullied correlate with depression and other mental problems as an adult

• Schoolyard bullying often leads to cyber bullying

Crime prevention in schools

• Approx. half of one’s personality can be explained thorough genes and half by the personal experiences in life course gained in the growing environment

• Some of these experiences are very personal (family) and some are shared by other members of the close community such as a s school

• => A good school can contribute more to the child’s positive growth than the home alone

• Schools catch up with whole age class

Crime prevention in schools

• => The importance of early intervention and recognition of victims and bullies

• Bullying cannot be erased with campaign-like interventions but must be worked against continuously

• Several government and local level programmes to prevent violence and bullying in schools

Peer mediation in Finland

• Started with a Finnish Red Cross project in year 2000

• In 2005 a project of the Finnish Forum for Mediation = Verso– Financed by the Ministry of Education and the

Finnish Slot Machine Association

• The project aims to spread peer mediation into all the schools in Finland

Peer mediation in Finland

• State of Verso project in beginning of 2009– 308 schools attending the project

• Elementary schools, secondary schools, high schools, vocational schools

– 6 000 trained peer mediators– 1 200 trained conductors

Peer mediation – definition and goals

• There are conflicts in schools which pupils themselves can solve

• Peer mediation is a voluntary method, aiming at regulation of pupil’s conflicts in the school’s everyday life

• In peer mediation some of the pupils are trained as mediators and then mediate the conflicts of slightly younger pupils

• Goal is to teach all students about nonadversial conflict management and dispute resolution techniques

Peer mediation – definition and goals

• The aim is to look into the future – “problem solving orientation”

• The idea is to create an atmosphere where conflicts are seen as a part of every day life and their resolution more as a positive challenge than a difficult and unpleasant task

• Learning of communication and responsibility that takes place when the parties discuss the conflict together

Peer mediation – definition and goals

• Discussion without accusations gives an opportunity to acknowledge one’s guilt without loosing face and coming to an agreement allows for the social healing

• Peer mediation comes on a side with traditional methods to promote safety in schools and is not involved with the criminal justice system

Peer mediation - method

• The role of the mediator is to balance power imbalances between parties

• The peer mediators are trained to help and encourage the parties to talk about their emotions

• Mediators should be able to talk the same language with parties– Method differ from traditional “professional” status of

mediators– A promise made with “one’s own words” is much harder to

break• Mediators are supported by school staff members who have

received training in the conduction of mediation• Establishing a mobile telephone number with a possibility to

leave messages

Peer mediation - method

• Adults should decide about cases referred to mediation• Mediators are working in pairs• During the mediation, the parties get to tell their side of

the conflict, describe their feelings and think about different solutions to the conflict

• By following the model, the parties and the peer mediators reach the point of making an agreement, the keeping of which is secured by follow-up

• In addition to peer mediation professional support can always be given to parties

Results of the surveys

• Article by Maija Gellin 2007• 86 % of the cases are verbal or physical

offending• 95 % of the cases lead to an agreement• 88 % of the agreements are kept• Most often the agreement is the promise to stop

unwanted behaviour• 90 % of the peer mediators regard their task as

mediators as important and meaningful

Results of the surveys

• Opinions of the parties– Mediation is impartial 77 %– Mediation is confidential 85 %– Pure conflict resolution 92 %– Solutions are searched for 92 %– No blaming or punishing 85 %

Results of the surveys

• The peer mediators considered it very positive to be able to participate in the ensuring of peace at school

• One of the worries was about how the method could be used more in the school

Evidence

• There is limited research conducted of the impact of the school mediation

• Peer mediation appears to be a promising strategy for improving school climate

• A well-conducted peer mediation program can be successful in changing the way students approach conflict

Evidence

• Generally very good agreement rate

• Participants are satisfied

• Transfer of knowledge and skills to home setting?

• Positive impact was found on school discipline systems and curriculum

• Teachers gained skills useful for teaching and class management

Evidence

• Increased self-esteem of mediators– Students who are selected, trained and go trough the

experience of being peer mediators• A reward to well disciplined students?• Also studies with disappointing results• No evidence on possible long term effects on school

climate• Problem: No control groups• Placebo effect: Positive change in performance due to

simple attention

In conclusion

• Finnish results– Attitudes change in schools: non-acceptance

towards violence– Student's learned to take responsibility– Increased communication skills– School signals that something is done to

prevent bullying and violence– It is important to inform all the pupils of the

main principles in mediation

In conclusion

• However: no evidence on possible long term effects on school climate

• Placebo effect: Positive change in performance due to simple attention

• Increasing the gap: good students get even more attention and rewards when chosen to be mediators

PEER MEDIATION METHODAS EXPERIENCED BY PUPILS

An article on the results of peer mediation program surveys

Maija Gellin

2007The Finnish Forum for Mediationwww.ssf-ffm.com