Supporting One Another

Peer Supporters are pupils in the Lower and Upper Sixth who receive specific training in confidentiality, empathy, and communication skills – specifically listening skills.

During the weekly meetings throughout the year, we discuss ideas on how we can further integrate within the school and help people deal with mental health and general wellbeing. Sometimes what is needed can be as simple as a chat about school, sports, friendships, stress or other worries.

Pupils join the Peer Supporters to help reinforce the general happiness and wellbeing of the school’s community, and to experience positive change. When asked why they’ve decided to join, some of the Gibbs’s boys said that ‘the scheme is effective at strengthening the links between older and younger members of the student body.’

The Peer Supporters are at the core of annual events such as Mental Health Awareness Week and Anti-Bullying Week, during which the Supporters wear their green t-shirts to be more visible in school. During this year’s Anti-Bullying Week, the Supporters worked within Houses to arrange fun activities for everyone to get involved. For Gibbs’ House, this meant enjoying pizza together, and providing a warm, welcoming environment for pupils to spend time with each other. During the evening there were discussions led by the Supporters for the Third and Fourth Forms, talking about the impact of kindness and other related themes. The House’s display board was used to add motivational messages, examples of kindness around the school and written notes of thanks.

In Head’s House there was an emphasis on checking in on pupils regularly, in particular the younger years, which was encouraged by members of the Sixth Form. The Supporters focused on discussions with different year groups to see how they all find school life and to see what concerns they may have. Topics that came up included COVID-19 and exam stress, mainly amongst younger years who have not experienced a ‘normal’ school routine due to the pandemic.

As a whole school, during AntiBullying Week we challenged students to achieve at least five ‘tasks’ a day, for example giving five compliments or offer to help five other pupils. It was a fun way to actively want to make each other feel good, adding to the warmth of the Lancing community. It was great to see how these simple tasks brought people together.

CHARINA GRANT and GEANINA SAVU Upper Sixth Peer Supporters