PEER MEDIATION AND SKILLS TRAINING

For the past 23 years PMAST has provided conflict management and dispute resolution skills to youth, families and communities, equipping them to manage conflict where they live, learn, work, and play. For today’s youth, conflict is a challenge which hinders the development of self-esteem, self-worth and a sense of belonging; all factors impacting a person's emotional and mental wellness. When not properly addressed, the damage of conflict continues through adulthood. Research supports what we already know: unresolved conflict has a serious impact on the individuals’ future and on the wellbeing of families and communities. PMAST represents a broad cross of youth including BIPOC, new Canadians, youth at risk, LGBTQ2S+, and diverse ethnic, religious and socio-economic populations, and offer additional programs for refugee/immigrant youth to assist their transition into Canadian society without becoming victims of mistreatment. Our programs go beyond acceptance and inclusiveness; we seek to encourage young people to embrace their differences and learn from the diversity of thought and experience each brings to the table. We work with key partners, schools and teachers to better understand how young people may be impacted by racism and we are actively reviewing where there is an opportunity to embed further support on topics like unconscious bias into our programing. Using schools as a key venue, we contribute to keeping youth in school and reducing bullying and violence. PMAST programs are not part of the school curriculum but offered as a supplement. One of the principals in a school where we provided services says "In a perfect world, every school would have the PMAST/RAP Program." While PMAST recognizes the value of awareness and counseling for victims, we believe that to really change this culture, we need to proactively provide youth and families with the skills to handle conflict before damage or tragedies occur. We can significantly reduce bullying, violence, stress and issues affecting a person’s wellbeing with our relevant, research-based programs which provide youth, schools and communities with critical skills to use in all areas of their lives. We need to change the dynamics of these youth, their families and those around them for this and future generations. So what is happening with youth today? Did you know that bulling and conflict are two of the most important issues facing youth today and social media has just increased that exponentially? Did you know that suicide is Canada’s second highest cause of death in youth? “According to STATS CAN, Canada spends over $13 MILLION PER DAY on adult incarceration alone and this is only the cost of incarceration. It does not include societal costs for courts, police, probation, legal, victims, rehab programs, property damage, etc. This is costing Canadian taxpayers a lot of money. How can we change this? How many adult offenders were juvenile offenders? Is it safe to say —most were? What if we could reach these youth before they go down this path? PMAST is just embarking on a pilot program to help young offenders to try and do just that. Mark A Cohen, Professor of Management and Law at Vanderbilt University says "We estimate the present value of saving a 14-year-old high risk juvenile from a life of crime to range from $2.6 to $5.3 million". The U.S. National Institute of Justice estimates that every dollar spent on youth prevention and intervention programs results in a savings of between $10 and $22! That's a pretty good investment and in US $$$. The cost of untreated mental health conditions is immense and can last a lifetime, yet stigma and inefficient resources limit success in many communities. With this knowledge – such a program should pay for itself in a very short time. We know we have excellent programs which have the power to change lives. We know they help youth, their families and communities when they need it the most. We know it helps youth to stay in school when an inability to deal with the issues in their lives is too overwhelming. We know that building Peer Mediation Teams in the schools shifts the culture to a more peaceful, friendly and inclusive atmosphere. We know it empowers youth to be leaders - to be the best they can be, and helps them to build better relationships in all aspects of their lives. We know it has a ripple effect that reaches out to families and communities.