The project aims to build resilience within communities of young people by developing a cohort of Safeguarding Peer Mentors, who are equipped to answer questions and signpost individuals for additional support.
Who is it for?
Young People within secondary school, further education or higher education who show leadership qualities and have the potential to be Safeguarding Peer Mentors within their network.
What is it?
The project aims to build resilience within communities of young people by developing a cohort of Safeguarding Peer Mentors, who are equipped to answer questions and signpost individuals for additional support.
How long does it take?
The programme runs for between 12 to 16 weeks and is made up of a series of weekly 1.5hr workshops after school.
What it involves?
Up to 20 participants will be led by a facilitator to explore a whole range issues around ideology and grievance and psycho-social health and wellbeing. Expert facilitators, who invariably have learned experience to share, will also help the young people to develop the awareness and knowledge they need to support their peers and recognise issues that need addressing within their locality.
Topics explored Include
Ideology and grievance
• Understanding community grievances
• Social media and online propaganda
• On Road or on Deen-faith and desistance
• Islamophobia and the far right narrative
• Extremist ideologies unpicked
• Far right extremist ideology
Psycho-social and wellbeing
• Emotional resilience
• Team/confidence building
• Modes of self-expression
• Substance misuses awareness
• Sexual health awareness
• Grooming, forced marriages and sexting
• Gang prevention and intervention
• Trauma counselling first aid
What it achieves?
At the end of the course, young people will have developed the capabilities to be a voice of reason within their communities and a source of information and advice for their peers. Throughout the process participants will have developed a number of key skills:
• Critical Thinking Skills – an ability to think critically and confidently about themselves and others as well as personal, social and political conflict and its consequences;
• Appreciation of Values – an ability to recognise how beliefs and values directly affect attitudes and behaviour;
• Ongoing Support – as part of a wider network of graduate peacebuilders, participants will have the support of others working to counter despairing narratives and find personalised, constructive ways to effect change;
• Safe Space Group Support – knowledge of other projects within the Safe Space Group network that they can refer individuals to for support.