Positive Peer Culture By Ali James What is

Positive Peer Culture By: Ali James

What is it? � Positive Peer Culture (PPC) – a peer-helping model designed to improve social competence and cultivate strengths in troubled and troubling youth. � The central position – young people can develop self-worth, significance, dignity, and responsibility only as they become committed to the positive values of helping and caring for others. � PPC asks youth if they are willing to give help, not if they want to receive it.

History � First started in the late 1950’s in New Jeasery by Charles A. � First called Guided Group Interaction (GGI) Lindbergh. • treatment program for delinquent youth • Structured peer groups met 5 times a week in group counseling sessions • Outside of meetings, youth took on responsibility of their peers behavior � Harry Vorrath and colleagues began implementing this model in different settings � Term Positive Peer Culture coined in their 1985 by Harry Vorrath and Larry Brendtro

Who is it for? � First developed for delinquent youth � Now seen in… • • • Schools- mainstream, private, … Community programs Juvenile courts Group homes Other childcare facilities

Purpose and Implementation � Adults assign responsibility to youth and they teach them to follow through on the responsibility. � Teachers are still in control, but without controlling. � Examples: • A student hurls a book across the room, laughs, and blurts out a remark designed to disrupt the class. Before the teacher can respond, other students in the room confront the offender for being "inconsiderate" and tell him to "check" himself. The youth, having received no peer support for his actions, slumps quietly into his seat. The teacher resumes her instruction without having said one word about the behavior problem. • A group home for troubled girls had severe drug abuse problems. The result of the many attempts to suppress the activity was a cold war between staff and youth. Suspicion, searches, and restriction became commonplace. That was a year ago. Now staff members no longer police students for drugs, and the climate of intrigue is gone. As a new girl enters, her peers confiscate any drugs she may have and tell her, "We don't have to use dope around here. " Drug problems are dealt with openly in a helpful, matter-of-fact way. Group members state with strong conviction that when a person has good feelings about herself she no longer needs to get high on drugs.

Purpose (Cont. ) � The only rule is that people must care for one another or to want what’s best for another. • Caring for others is not common, negative, harmful behavior is usually more acceptable � Once caring is implemented, hurting becomes less common. � The more a person gives and becomes of value to others, the more they increase their own feelings of worthiness and builds a positive self-concept.

Major components = Peer Influence � � � Peer influence is a huge factor during adolescence so it is important to have a positive peer environment to support adolescents. Positive peer groups offer: • • Acceptance Emotional avenues for catharsis A place for testing new values and judgments A chance to help others and encourage them to develop a positive support network • • • New meanings Perceptions Solutions Feedback A model to alternative perceptions and behaviors • • Opportunities to check out the effectiveness of their communication Behaviors Perceptions Values Interaction among peer can create: PPC offer: Result = they feel that they are not alone in their struggles

Some Obstacles Involved in Implementing the Program � The concept is easily understood, but creating a positive culture of young people is not simple. � � Grows from practice Goes against traditional practices/systems � Working with people is always a challenge • Beliefs • Past (how they were raised & how they know to act) • Pride � What’s needed? • • planning and organization pay attention to many different variables a trained staff who are committed to developing positive potentials of the youth Patience

Why use PPC? � Clear and viable alternative to existing programs � Peers have a stronger influence on each other than rules have • Greater influence = help to solve problems that teachers can not � Teaches students to help others � Teaches basic values � Teaches students to assume responsibility for others

Conclusion �There are many advantages of PPC. • They help students care and be responsible for others, grow as a person, know that they are not alone, and feel accepted. � When first implementing PPC • be patient • work along side students • Don’t give up

Sources � � Positive Peer Culture by Harry Vorrath and Larry Brendtro. http: //www. happyyouthcreations. com/IMAGES/Positive. Peer. Culture. p df http: //www. teenhelponline. com/Positive. Peer. Culture. html http: //www. cyc-net. org/cyc-online/cycol-0708 -laursen. html

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