ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the practicalities of providing training for befriending, peer counselling and mediation. The essence of peer counselling is good listening – refraining from interrupting, paraphrasing, being comfortable with silence and emotion, understanding body language and social distancing. In a counselling conversation the counsellor is concentrating entirely upon the client's situation. The counsellor listens very attentively, without interrupting or giving advice. The young people who use the counselling service are likely to express strong feelings of anger, resentment, distress, revenge etc. In mediation, a neutral third person is called in to mediate. There are three key facts about conflict and disagreement which any person engaging in mediation or conflict resolution needs to understand. Firstly, individuals need to know that conflict is not bad. The second fact is that conflict is not a contest. Thirdly, an essential feature of mediation and conflict resolution is to distinguish between what people want and why they want it.
