News

Leap National PeerLink Awards

Friday 5th June 2009

Leap Confronting Conflict Commends Outstanding Young People At National Awards Ceremony

Over 200 people from across the country came together in London yesterday to celebrate the outstanding contribution young people have made to the prevention of violence and bullying in their schools and local communities.

Leap Confronting Conflict’s (Leap) PeerLink Awards give national recognition to the fantastic work that individuals and groups are doing in peer mediation, mentoring and training. This voluntary work can reduce violence and fear in their local communities. Young attendees enjoyed a range of interactive workshops run by young people prior to the ceremony aimed at exploring the causes and consequences of conflict as well as developing mediation and leadership skills. This comes at a crucial time following The Home Affairs Committee report on knife crime published earlier this week emphasising the need to tackle the root causes of youth violence across the UK.

Representatives included Peer Educators from Leap’s ‘Fear and Fashion: Tackling Knife Culture’ project, supporting young people to make positive choices around knife carrying and knife crime, as well as youth workers, teachers and peer mentors from across the country who
provide guidance and support to young people in their schools in person and online.

PeerLink is a youth-led support network for volunteers involved in conflict resolution and peer mediation. The project was set up in 2006 by Leap, a national charity specialising in youth conflict resolution. The project offers resources, training and events and now has a network of
over 1,300 young people from a variety of projects, backgrounds and different parts of the country who can get support, learn new skills and share their ideas as well as get – and give – training in peer mediation, conflict resolution and facilitation skills.

Jennifer Rogers, Chief Executive of Leap commented: “Championing young people as the solution to violence and bullying in their schools and local communities lies at the heart of Leap’s PeerLink project and I’m delighted that this group of outstanding individuals have been
recognised on a national scale for their efforts towards achieving this vision. As always, our focus remains on eliminating young people’s exposure to violence in their lives, as echoed in The Home Affairs Committee’s report on knife crime published earlier this week.”

The winners recognised for their exceptional mediation, mentoring and training skills are:

Individual Award Winners:

Contribution to resolving conflict in school
Sophia Ellis, Norwood School, Lambeth, London

Contribution to resolving conflict in the community
Tete Ashbourne, Community Resolve/Bristol Gang Awareness Project

Peer Trainer of the year
Arnaud Mpeke, Conflict and Change, Newham

Leap volunteer of the year
Ahmed Moallim, Leap

Special award for conflict resolution in Scotland
Ashley Thomson, FARE, Glasgow

Award for adults supporting young people
Jonelle Bernasko, Norwood School, Lambeth

Group Award Winners:

Contribution to resolving conflict in school
Horbury School CyberMentors, Horbury School, Wakefield

Contribution to resolving conflict in the community
Truce 2020 Steering Group, Truce 2020 Project

Peer training group of the year
Fear and Fashion Peer Educators, Leap’s Fear and Fashion Project

Leap also launched its “On the Spot Mediation” DVD last night, a short film demonstrating how to incorporate mediation skills into everyday life. The film was produced, directed, acted and filmed by PeerLink volunteers and is now accessible on YouTube:
On the Spot Mediation

For further information, please contact:
Elly Gilbert 020 7561 3718
elly.gilbert@leapconfrontingconflict.org.uk

Notes to Editors:
Leap Confronting Conflict has a track record of 22 years development of innovative youth programmes that work with young people and youth practitioners to prevent and manage violence and transform challenging and anti-social behaviour. Leap has the explicit vision that conflict resolution skills and understanding should be located within all informal and formal programmes for young people in the UK. Leap’s Board of Trustees is chaired by Patrick Dunne, Group Communications Director of 3i Group.

PeerLink Website: http://www.peerlink.org.uk/