Peer mediation training completed

This afternoon seventeen students from the St. Martin De Porres School received certificates for completing a peer mediation course to assist students deal with arguments, drug problems or other difficulties. Coordinator of School Projects for the National Drug Abuse Control Council, Keith Emmanuel, told us more about the course.

Keith Emmanuel, School Coordinator, N.D.A.C.C.

“From the very beginning we started a selection process that was very comprehensive in terms of selecting people for the mediation process. And after we were finished with that we looked at training outline. The outline was first designed to go a full three days but when we began we found out that there was a need to fill it up and we ended up with five full days. And we also did some training on Saturdays and we also did training after school time.”

Emmanuel says that in each session the students were put in real life situations. They practiced communication skills, such as maintaining eye contact and what someone’s eyes tell you. The students we spoke to say they feel very proud of themselves and hope that the course will take them far in the future.

Shanice Lovell, Peer Mediator

“I learn how to counsel people who have problems and to have patience.”

Q: “Say for example one of your friends is smoking weed and has a drug problem, how would you deal with that?”

Shanice Lovell

“I will have a talk with him or her and talk to him and ask him if he/she will feel comfortable talking to a teacher.”

Janelle Vellos, Peer Mediator

“I learned how to communicate with my friends better. I learned eye contact which is a form of communicating well with others and a whole lot of other stuff.”

Hyacinth Latchman for News Five.

Miss Belize Viola Jeffries attended the graduation ceremonies at the St. Martin De Porres Church.