Welcome back to final instalment of our peer-to-peer blog series! So far we’ve looked at the role of peer-to-peer mentoring in online safeguarding, how to build a safe and successful programme and the positive effects these programmes can have. This week we take a look at the impact whole-school collaboration can have in the success of peer-to-peer mentoring.
Peer-to-peer mentoring schemes are helping to foster a more interactive, collaborative and supportive environment in schools, and already we’re seeing the tangible and positive impact on safeguarding.
One of the most important factors in the success of these schemes is taking a collaborative approach to setting them up, so involving the whole school community in how you’re going to deliver your mentoring programme is essential.
Asking pupils for their feedback on which apps they’d like the most guidance on, or what they’ve experienced problems with, will help to determine what safeguarding issues to focus on within your school, and what technologies you’ll use to deliver them.
For example, if you’ve had incidences of online bullying in your school, you could look at creating an Online Code of Conduct to help shape online behaviour and provide advice on respecting the rights of others in the digital world.
Your mentors could then choose how to deliver this advice for the greatest impact, whether through a video, a podcast or social channels. Reviewing and monitoring your school’s behaviour policy to ensure it’s as effective possible will also give your mentors a clear benchmark to work to.
If privacy has been flagged up as an issue, the mentors could deliver a workshop educating pupils on how to change their privacy settings and how these settings can impact on their digital footprint, incorporating tips like not ticking a box that remembers their information or linking all their social profiles together.
Taking a collaborative approach to peer-to-peer mentoring will ensure that the whole school feels involved, invested and engaged.
Part 1 of series : The role of peer-to-peer mentoring in online safeguarding
Part 2 of series : Building a safe and successful mentoring programme
Part 3 of series : Creating better safeguarding engagement through peer-to-peer mentoring
For more information, advice and guidance around our online safety solutions, visit www.rm.com/onlinesafety.
