What We Do

Growing Skills, Making a Difference is our Peer Mentor Programme for Children and Young People.

A Peer Mentoring programme is bespoke and offers schools and organisations a best practice approach to addressing low level mental health and wellbeing issues, such as bullying behaviour, anxiety and friendship conflict, that can impact on children and young people in their care. Through our programme, we work to engage and empower children and young people to develop a positive ethos across a whole school or organisation community, inspiring them to create an environment that meets the emotional, academic and social needs of pupils and staff.

We have developed two core training programmes to support schools, colleges, youth and community organisations in implementing an empowering, effective, sustainable, support programme that works for their setting; Peer2Peer for secondary age young people and Playground Pals for primary age children.

Peer2Peer  

Our Award Winning Peer2Peer Programme, promotes Strength Through Sharing and the training day provides a full programme for young people that include life skills sessions such as active listening skills, communication skills and confidentiality, understanding bullying behaviour and managing conflict, boundaries in mentoring, time management and the importance of diversity.

Duration: One Full School Day. Maximum 25 young people, 12 – 17yrs old

Using empowering, engaging, interactive sessions, young people will participate in both individual and group activities that help to develop confidence, self-esteem, knowledge and essential mentoring skills.

Growing Skills, Making a Difference Flyer

“I would like to say how fantastic your training is and how amazing you have been with our Peer Mentors.  Due to the status and excellent reputation of the mentors in our school, the team has now expanded from 12 pupils to 62 in just 18 months.  Most of that is credit to your extensive training and support. The whole school are impressed by the professionalism, maturity and empathy shown by the students and whilst part of this is their ‘nature’, I feel BulliesOut should take credit for the encouragement, honing and development of those skills. Thank you – we look forward to working with you again”.  Headteacher, Comprehensive School

Over recent years, Peer Mentoring has increased in popularity and has been introduced in many schools. An effectively managed mentoring programme makes a valuable contribution to the overall ethos of the school and pastoral support systems.

Peer support is well-liked by young people. It is a positive resource that creates a culture of listening, empathy and support. Mentors provide valuable support and are able to help with low level school-based issues and personal matters. Mentors are trained to listen well, provide support and encouragement, be non-judgemental and reflective and are excellent role models.

Peer Support has many benefits, including:

• Creates a positive ethos through the whole school community
• Helps break down barriers between different year groups
• Promotes and encourages friendships
• Increased confidence and self-esteem
• The Peer Mentors gain a sense of accomplishment
• Low level behaviour is identified and dealt with before developing further
• The Peer Mentors gain valuable, transferrable skills for life
• Mentees receive a valuable support network

“The training I received from BulliesOut was first class.  I am so pleased to have been given this opportunity. It has developed my own confidence and skills and I am proud to be a Peer Mentor and to be able to support my peers”. BulliesOut Peer Mentor.

Additional Resources:

• Peer Mentor Files & Handbook (for all attendees)
• Peer Mentor Badge
• School Lead Handbook
• Posters to promote the programme

We have achieved a number of awards for our Peer2Peer programme, including the Approved Provider Standard of the Mentoring & Befriending Foundation. This Quality Standard provides us with very important external recognition of the value and excellence of our programme. We have also achieved the Global Award ‘Excellence in Secondary Education, Peer Mentoring’ for four consecutive years.

We also have a two hour Peer Mentoring Training Programme for Staff. Delivered virtually, Our Peer Mentoring programme for staff provides training, resources and additional support to assist school staff with implementing and sustaining our Peer2Peer programme in their school, based on the identified needs of their setting.