For eighteen years, Lancing College’s Peer Supporter scheme has played an important role in supporting pupil wellbeing and promoting a positive, inclusive school community. Built around the principle of pupils supporting pupils, the scheme recognises that young people may sometimes find it easier to talk to someone their own age about the challenges they are facing.
Our Peer Supporters are Sixth Form pupils who volunteer to provide a friendly, approachable and confidential listening ear to others across the College. Becoming a Peer Supporter is a significant commitment, with pupils undertaking a written application and interview before being selected for the two-year programme.
Once appointed, Peer Supporters receive specialist training delivered by the College Counsellors, covering essential listening skills, safeguarding, confidentiality, bereavement and other issues affecting young people’s wellbeing. This training continues throughout their time in the role, helping them develop the confidence, empathy and understanding needed to support their peers effectively, whilst recognising when concerns need to be passed on to an appropriate adult.
However, the role extends well beyond individual conversations. Peer Supporters are also passionate advocates for positive mental health and wellbeing across the College. They play an active role in raising awareness, challenging stigma and leading whole-school initiatives around important occasions such as Mental Health Awareness Week and Anti-Bullying Week.
Crucially, the Peer Supporters also provide an important pupil voice within the College. Through regular meetings and discussions, they help identify emerging issues affecting pupils, share feedback with the Safeguarding Team and Senior Leadership Team, and contribute ideas for positive change. Their insight into the experiences and concerns of their fellow pupils is invaluable in helping us understand how best to support our school community.
At its heart, Peer Support is about kindness, connection and creating a culture in which pupils look out for one another. Our Peer Supporters demonstrate a real commitment to making Lancing a place where everyone feels heard, valued, and supported, and their contribution to College life is something of which we are enormously proud.
One of our Upper Sixth Peer Supporters, is Sinan, who commented: “What we offer as older pupils is to act as role models to younger pupils as to what a Lancing College pupil should be.
“If anyone needs to come talk to someone that isn’t a teacher, that might give them anxiety, so with us they can get a younger perspective on it. We’ve been trained to give them support, so Lower Sixth have just finished their training on confidentiality, how to support people, and acting as an open ear.”
