The Conflict Resolution Center of St. Louis (CRC) has hosted peer mediation programs in a few St. Louis schools, but was looking for an opportunity to expand to a community-based learning experience. St. Louis Public Library (SLPL) is seen as a third space for many teens in St. Louis, especially at the Julia Davis Library, the pilot location. Julia Davis sees dozens of teens and young adults on a daily basis and occasionally conflict between youth in the greater community spills into the library space. SLPL and CRC partnered for the Teen Peer Mediation program to help mitigate that conflict and provide structure for those teens to practice conflict resolution skills

Teen Peer Mediation is a six week training course with 90 minute sessions per week.

• Weeks 1 and 2 focused on understanding conflict by exploring conflict styles, escalation, the role of perceptions and bias, understanding body language, and practicing active listening.
• Weeks 3 and 4 focused on the six steps to a successful mediation and included many role-playing scenarios.
• Week 5 invited community mediators to speak about their careers as mediators and answer questions from participants.
• Week 6 focused on the intake process for individuals seeking mediation and ended with a celebration of the participants' experience.

This program offers teens the opportunity to learn high-level skills that can be applied to their personal lives and communities. It is innovative because it not only offers participants volunteer hours for their time, but they also leave with certification from a recognized community organization that can translate into future educational and career opportunities.

The success of the Teen Peer Mediation program was measured by the number of teens that attended enough sessions to earn a peer mediator certification--nine teens total.

Teen participants reported they “learned not to mentally take sides” during conflicts with their peers and to “practice self-control.”

Staff reported that they saw quiet kids become more comfortable participating in discussion as the weeks went on, and really begin to open up about themselves. Teens became more familiar with other programs and services we offer, and have since attended other events we host.

Staff have observed teens who have completed the program using their mediation skills to de-escalate and resolve conflicts between teens in the Library.