What Is It?

The Peer Support Programme offers secondary schools the opportunity to provide new entrants to secondary school  a structured introduction to school under the guidance of senior students who are trained as leaders.

The programme offers activities which support the acquisition by students of key competencies such as managing self, relating to others, and participating and contributing.

The programme is administered in New Zealand by a not-for-profit trust established by Rotary International.  The Trust is registered with the Charities Commission.  Its registration number is CC25394.


Each year the Peer Support Trust offers professional development for teachers in the Programme, providing teachers with an opportunity to experience the Programme themselves and acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence to run the Peer Support Programme in their schools. See the section on Upcoming Training for courses.
 

Peer Support Key Principles

• Students beginning high school need a safe environment in which to develop skills to look after themselves and each other
• Students beginning secondary school will develop self confidence and resiliency through relating to each other and senior students and through establishing friendships with their peers
• Contact with senior students will help students starting high school to develop self confidence
• Senior students acting in leadership roles to support students starting secondary schools will provide positive role models to junior students