ABOUT US

The Peer Support Trust in New Zealand

The Trust is registered with the Department of Internal Affairs Charities Services.  Our registration number is CC25394.

The objects of the Peer Support Trust are to:

• Promote, provide, encourage , establish, support and maintain the Peer Support Programme in secondary schools and to provide training in leadership, health, welfare and guidance for students in secondary schools

• Promote the objects of the Trust by means of meetings,lectures,publication,educational courses and other forms of instruction and publicity 

The Peer Support Trust

The Peer Support Trust in New Zealand is responsible for the Peer Support programme and for maintaining its professional standards.

 

Rotary and Peer Support

 

Rotary has been involved with Peer Support since 1985 when it sponsored the programme into New Zealand schools. Three trusts with support from Rotary District Committees promoted the programme throughout the six Rotary Districts. These trusts were replaced by a single national trust. The main focus of its work has been on supporting teacher trainer consultants and on promoting the programme in schools.

The Trust comprises six trustees representing the six districts of Rotary International in New Zealand.  Trustees serve for a term of up to six years and are appointed to the trust by the Governor of the Rotary District they represent.

District representatives on the Trust are:

District 9910 (position vacant)

District 9920  (position vacant)

District 9930  (position vacant)

District 9940 Anne Hare (Chairperson)

District 9999 Denis McMurtrie

Secretary/Treasurer Julia Malcolm

Peer Support Organisation

In most Rotary Districts there are Teacher Trainer Consultants who conduct training courses for teachers and who occasionally visit schools to assist in helping to establish the programme. The course is usually two days and provides a complete introduction to the elements of the programme and the strategies that form the basis of it.

At the end of the course, teachers receive a certificate which recognises that they have been trained to operate the programme.

Each school appoints a Peer Support Co-ordinator who assists staff and who co-ordinates the programme in that school.

The teachers trained in the Peer Support Programme train the senior student leaders during a course which is usually two days long. At the completion of this course the student leaders receive a certificate.

The Peer Support Programme
The Programme has been written to provide senior students with the opportunity to develop skills in leadership and in providing support for younger students. The programme through a series of modules aims to build resilience and self-confidence in younger students.  Teachers play a support role and are trained by Peer Support tutors.  A powerpoint programme has been developed and is available by clicking on this link.

NZ Peer Support Trust AGM 2023

The Annual General Meeting of the NZ Peer Support Trust was held on March 15th 2023 by zoom