ABSTRACT
Bringing together groups to share stories of success, learn about their strengths and think how their lives can be better can help the ‘best version’ inside each student and parent to emerge. This chapter outlines a generic SF framework with key questions for use in first sessions and second and subsequent sessions. Examples are drawn from group work with students and parents and there is a detailed case study exploring SF in action during a mediation session between 19 Year 10 students. Particular attention will be paid to those SF ideas most pertinent to establishing the group context and ground rules, mobilising resources and useful qualities, clarifying individual and collective best hopes, supporting outcome orientated conversations and dealing with challenging remarks or behaviours. There are many creative examples to illustrate the adaptability of the scale framework to shape questions and concentrate on those things that are most pertinent to progress. Change happens when we invite people into different ways of ‘viewing’ and ‘doing’ and interactions between group members can intensify solutions and ways forward.
