Editing Mediation (section)

===Peer mediation===
A peer mediator is one who resembles the disputants, such as being of similar age, attending the same school or having similar status in a business. Purportedly, peers can better relate to the disputants than an outsider.<ref name="Noaks">{{cite journal|author1=Noaks, J. |author2=Noaks, L. |name-list-style=amp |year=2009 |title=School-based peer mediation as a strategy for social inclusion|journal=Pastoral Care in Education|volume=27|issue=1|pages=53–61 |doi=10.1080/02643940902731880|s2cid=144186898 }}</ref>

Peer mediation promotes social cohesion and aids development of protective factors that create positive school climates.<ref name="Cremin">{{harvnb|Cremin|2007|p=119}}</ref> The National Healthy School Standard (Department for Education and Skills, 2004) highlighted the significance of this approach to reducing bullying and promoting pupil achievement.<ref name=Noaks/> Schools adopting this process recruit and train interested students to prepare them.

Peace Pals is an empirically validated peer mediation program.<ref>{{harvnb|Schellenberg|Parks-Savage|Rehfuss|2007}} The program's creator is Rita Schellenberg, counselor educator, counselor supervisor, and licensed school counselor.</ref> It was studied over a 5-year period and revealed several positive outcomes including a reduction in elementary school violence and enhanced social skills, while creating a more positive, peaceful school climate.<ref name=spsr>{{harvnb|Schellenberg|Parks-Savage|Rehfuss|2007}}</ref>

Peer mediation helped reduce crime in schools, saved counselor and administrator time, enhanced self-esteem, improved attendance and encouraged development of leadership and problem-solving skills among students. Such conflict resolution programs increased in U.S. schools 40% between 1991 and 1999.<ref name="Gerber">Gerber, S 1999, 'Does peer mediation really work?', Professional School Counseling, 2, 3, 169</ref>

Peace Pals was studied in a diverse, suburban elementary school. Peer mediation was available to all students (N = 825). Significant and long-term reductions in school-wide violence over a five-year period occurred. The reductions included both verbal and physical conflict. Mediator knowledge made significant gains pertaining to conflict, conflict resolution and mediation, which was maintained at 3-month follow-up. Additionally, mediators and participants viewed the ''Peace Pals'' program as effective and valuable, and all mediation sessions resulted in successful resolution.<ref name=spsr/>