Conflict Resolution workshops for secondary school pupils
This course is run in secondary schools over a 6-week period, for 1.5 hour sessions with either whole year groups or selected pupils (of groups of around 15 pupils).
Our trainers are all professional mediators who will deliver the course at the school, taking into account any specific areas where training is needed.
It’s a very interactive workshop with the use of multi-media, role-plays, discussions and drama under a theoretical backdrop. The purpose of the course is to enable pupils to develop the tools to engage in conflict constructively and uses some of the tools of mediation. We can tailor the course to any specific needs of your school.
Content:
1 Understanding what conflict means, how it starts and can escalate.
2 Promoting self-awareness in young people regarding:
•The way they handle conflict
•The assumptions/prejudices they carry
•Their individual conflict ‘triggers’
3 Practising identifying and expressing feelings
4 Understanding:
•that there are always other points of view
•the need to listen to other points of view
•the tools to express their own point of view effectively (i.e. assertiveness: including body language, vocal tone and I-statements)
•what positions and interests are and why they are important
5 Understanding the layers that are under anger and conflict and the role of feelings in conflict.
6 Understanding some key principles of conflict resolution:
•focusing on the problem and not the person
•future thinking
•win/win solutions
•facts versus interpretation
•‘flight or fight’ mode
•active listening
7 Considering some common blocks to communication and identifying own habits.
The sessions are delivered through a range of highly interactive individual, small and whole group activities with very little writing. Activities include role-play, forum theatre, games, art activities (drawing, modelling, origami etc), debates, problem-solving, film clips, diagrams etc. The style of delivery is adapted to the preferences of the group. Each session concludes with a reviewing activity.
Costs:
We appreciate that there are huge budgetary constraints on schools at the moment, and we could apply for grant funding with you to cover these costs. Please let us know if you have any questions.
We use two trainers who would meet with you to discuss the school’s specific needs and to tailor the course accordingly.
They meet the potential participants before the course starts on a 1-2-1 basis or in small groups, to get to know them before the sessions start and to outline the course to them. Then we would usually have 6 sessions for the course, and one follow-up meeting. We would aim to deliver this for under £5000.
Participants
We usually have a maximum of 10 students per course, although we could run two groups of 6 at the same time, and offer a session for each group each day.
We can run the course for years 7-11, although most commonly we are asked to run the course for years 8 and 9.
Venue and equipment
We ask the school to provide a room with enough space for the young people to move around and if possible to have a laptop and projector (with sound) for films and PowerPoint. A regular classroom can work, but we would move the tables and chairs aside to make it feel different from normal lessons.
Certification
All students who participate in the course receive a certificate from Wandsworth Mediation Service.
Sustainability & Ongoing Support
We can offer top-up training sessions for the groups on a termly or half-termly basis.
We would be delighted to tailor our workshops to your school’s particular requirements. Please get in touch to discuss this with us.
