Near Peer Coaching

Near Peer Coaching is a successful well established impactful programme unique to Elevate that helps meet the gap in wellbeing services that are in short supply. Older pupils and younger pupils benefit from our Near Peer approach, older pupils learn valuable life-long skills that make them more attractive to universities and employers, and younger pupils get a well-being near peer supporter that can empathise with them and is trained to help younger peers take responsibility for their wellbeing and learning. The Near Peer Coaching approach is an evidence informed well-being and learning support method that benefits both the older coach and the younger pupil coachee. Research suggests that peer coaching support is influential and effective for student well-being, learning and community. To book a training session for your school click here.

Read the Secondary Near Peer Coaches Report

“We have seen pupils refuse all other interventions, except their Near Peer Coach, this is really having a positive impact on our ability to support the gap in services that currently exist. We want as many Near Peer Coaches as we can” Glantaf School.

Elevate have developed a comprehensive resource pack that accompanies our excellent Association for Coaching Continual Professional Development (CPD) accredited training for school staff to implement the programme in schools. This resource contains permission letters, step-by-step guide, resources and activities for Near Peers to use. It also has evaluation measures, mapping how the Near Peer Coaching approach can meet the Well-being Area of the Welsh Curriculum. We have developed the resource with the support of head teachers. A sample for secondary schools can be found here. (coming soon) Details of the training can be found at the bottom of the page.

"Near Peer Coaching is a one-to-one focused conversation between a coach with a 'lived experience' within the coachee's system of functioning and a less experienced coachee. The coach facilities a positive non-judgemental empathetic listening and questioning space where client-led self-directed learning takes place and the coachee moves towards their preferred future through actionable meaningful goals set as a result of gaining self-insight"
Elevate (2020)

The Near Peer Coaching (NPC) project trains students in core coaching skills and supports the school to set up in-house wellbeing and learning coaches from a pool of older students who have recent ‘lived’ experience of negotiating school successfully. The near peer coaches are able to function in the dual role of role models and coaches to their younger peers.

Schools who have run this project have found that it really helps strengthen their school community and have been delighted with having professionally trained, youth volunteers actively involved in improving the engagement and wellbeing of younger colleagues. These near peers work with students from younger years who are experiencing difficulty or face issues that prevent them engaging in school life. The Near Peer Coaches provide a valuable empathetic ‘early intervention’ service’.

The Near Peer Coaches become a sustainable cost-effective pool of in-school volunteers for staff to call upon to support younger students. The project compliments existing buddy systems by creating informed and skilled coaches. The training provided is recognised by the Association for Coaching, a national and international body that exists to develop coaching excellence in all sectors that coaching is used in.

The Near Peer Coaches can use the training hours and time given in voluntary activity towards a Baccalaureate. Previous Near Peer Coaches have highlighted their skills and experience in applications for employment and university. Additionally they embed the techniques learned, into their own way of being, improving their own grades and studies

The Near Peer Project is exciting, and builds on years of research that suggests peer influences can really transform the student experience. This Elevate project builds sustainable wellbeing and learning support systems in schools. We also offer secondary schools opportunity for their higher ability pupils to be awarded an accredited coaching qualification which allows them access to a one year free membership of the Association for Coaching. Some details of the CPD training are described below the testimonials on this page. For the full accredited Association for Coaching qualification for pupils we recommend you get in touch. Please contact us to set up this unique and impactful project in your school.

 

Testimonials

Our Near Peer Coach training enables the trained Near Peers to operate flexibly as coaches and/or mentors.
We can train your young people as near peer coaches so your school can set up a sustainable system of support for younger students
Donations and fees are applicable to schools outside of our grant funded area of operation. Income generated supports us fufil our primary charitable aims.

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