Peer Mediation

PEACE CAMP! SPRING BREAK 2021

The WHMC Peer Mediation program is partnering with Waimea Yoga and Yoga Impact.org to offer an in person Peace Camp during Spring Break 2021. This five day camp will include Peer Mediation, Yoga, Social Justice studies, Yoga, and creative forms of conflict resolution using art, dance and theatre. There will also be a service project portion of the camp. The camp is open to all middle school aged students and will be held in person, at the St. James Circle in Waimea the week of March 15-19, Spring Break for most schools. The schedule will be 9-3 daily (Mon-Thurs), with 4 different classes, a lunch and 2 breaks. Friday will be a half day 9-12 and focus on an outdoor service project.

The camp is free and open to all middle school aged students of the Island of Hawaii, but we are limited to 18 spots to make sure to respect Covid-19 protocol (they will be split into two groups of 9). The only requirement for admission is a completed short essay that is included in the registration form. The question is ‘what does peace mean to you?’. There are no wrong answers, we are looking forward to reading the student’s thoughts and using them to plant the seeds for dialogue and exploration during camp.

Please fill out the registration link below to enroll, and if you have any questions please contact Miss Noelani (noelani@whmediation.org), or Miss Chelsea (chelsea.morriss@gmail.com).

Register Here!

School Programs

West Hawaii Mediation Center works with elementary, middle, and high schools throughout West and North Hawaii. We provide conflict resolution and peer mediation training to both public and private K-12 schools.

Kohala Elementary School's 4th and 5th grade peer mediators gathered on May 5th to review the year and celebrate their peacemaking efforts on the 1st and 2nd grade playground areas. Two mediators were absent. All of the 5th graders said they were interested in serving as a mediator in middle school!

4th & 5th grade peer mediators celebrate their peacemaking efforts at a past program at Kohala Elementary School

The following schools have active peer mediation programs:

  • Honoka’a Elementary School
  • Hawai’i Preparatory Academy Lower School
  • Kealakehe Intermediate School
  • Kohala Middle School
  • Pa’auilo Elementary School
  • Parker Lower School
  • Waikoloa Elementary School
  • Waikoloa Middle School

What is Peer Mediation?

  • Peer mediation is both a program and a process where students of the same age group facilitate resolving disputes between two of their peers. This process is voluntary, confidential, and models effective communication skills. Peer mediators do not “make decisions” but rather work toward a win-win solution for both sides.

Why Peer Mediation?

  • Having a solid peer mediation program in place can contribute to the development of safe and respectful learning environments. The mediation process allows students to become actively involved in transforming the school climate by becoming agents of change. Program goals include the teaching of conflict resolution skills, helping students gain perspective and understanding of themselves and other students, providing a safe forum for kids to resolve differences, reducing suspensions and other disciplinary actions, addressing problems before they escalate into violence, and recognizing and valuing the important role that students play in creating peaceful and productive schools.

Conflicts that are suitable for peer mediation 

Elementary school:

  • Playground disputes
  • Groups and cliques/social issues
  • Personal property concerns

Middle and high school:

  • Social media improprieties
  • Relationship difficulties/harassment
  • Rumors and gossip
  • Cheating and stealing
  • Racial and cultural confrontations
  • Vandalism
  • Classroom or extracurricular disputes

More serious problems require professional referral and are not appropriate for peer mediation. These include: sexual abuse, assault, suicide, drug use, weapon possession and those that involve legal problems.