1. What are the goals of peer mediation?
The primary goal of the program is to have students help other students resolve their conflicts in a peaceful and positive manner, which will enable them to have a more positive school experience. The training of the peer mediators focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to accomplish this goal. Essential factors for the success of this program are: strong district and campus support, quality training for both adults and students, clear goals and objectives, student commitment and ownership, faculty support, systemic supervision and evaluation of the program, diversity of student participants, confidentiality, systemic recruiting and selection of participants, and rewards and incentives for students.

What are the fundamental components of this program?
Training of the mediators which includes these key essential skills: program orientation, anger management, understanding the dynamics of conflict, individual responses to conflict, the limits and boundaries of mediators, stages of mediation, listening for feelings, methods of validating others, communication skills, maintaining neutrality, group dynamics/ teambuilding, self-awareness, confidentiality and liability issues, conflict resolution, problem solving, decision making, helping strategies, cultural awareness, refusal skills for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and basic principles of human behavior.
Internship and Supervision, which provides regular, ongoing, supportive adult supervision for student mediators as well as from other student mediators. This regular structured supervision enables mediators to learn from each other and from their adult sponsor in connection with their mediation activities.
Evaluation of student performance is done by using the following criteria: completion of basic training requirements, completion of special projects, performance on tests and examinations, regular attendance, group participation, observable use of the acquired skills, assessment of mediation skills, journal keeping, and teacher/sponsor evaluations and surveys. Program evaluation is done through end of the year formative and summative evaluation with regard to programmatic goals and objectives. Surveys of teachers, students, parents, and service recipients are conducted all year, and end of the year evaluation instrument is completed by the teacher/sponsor.

How are students selected as mediators?
The goal is to select a diverse group of students who are representative of the entire student body, are trustworthy, empathetic, caring, with a high degree of personal responsibility and initiative. These students need to be viewed as positive role models for other students. The recruitment and selection process should include the following steps: solicitation of nominations by staff and students, information session for all nominated students, formal application from interested students, recommendations from staff members, and structured interviews with all applicants.