Kahibah Public School


	Kahibah Public School .... SASH Programme ....

Students at Kahibah Public School have created a powerful playground peer support program that has benefits across the whole school community.

The students developed the Student and Staff Helpers (SASH) program, to give instant peer support to any students who felt alone or bullied in the playground.

The school already has strong student welfare programs including an emphasis on students taking responsibility for their own behaviour, but it was the senior students who wanted to do more to make their playground a happy place.

A team of 31 Year 6 volunteers was trained in peer mediation and conflict resolution skills. Three learning sessions were involved to ensure the students knew how to handle each different situation.

They were issued with fluorescent green jackets, and each lunchtime four students are available in the playground using a roster which is run by the children.

Students who are unhappy about anything in the playground come to the team leaders, and in nearly all cases the SASH students resolved matters amicably and quickly. If this does not happen, or in physical situations, the SASH students are taught to refer the matter to staff.

The fact that the students own the SASH program is a key to its success and the benefits are extensive.

However, it is important to understand that no program works well in isolation. The SASH program supplements many other school activities, including the explicit teaching of values. We all work together to be the best we can be and our students are empowered to be involved in the decision making process through the student council where they have a significant voice.

The SASH program strengthens children and helps them learn how to develop strong relationship skills which are the key to building a successful life.

Students at Kahibah Public School have created a powerful peer support program that reduces bullying while helping all students, K-6, to take responsibility for their own behaviour.

Principal, Pam Richardson, says the idea came from the students at the start of Term 4, in 2002. The Student and Staff Helpers (SASH) program was then put into practice by the children with a minimum of staff guidance.

"It's important to understand that our whole staff has been trained in Choice Theory and this philosophy underpins the belief system in our school," Pam said.

"We literally operate as a team. We've invested a lot of time and energy to build what we have and we all work very hard to keep it going. We are a team of equals at this school; we just have different jobs to do. Therefore everyone is and feels valued.

"The children are very much part of this. There is no 'them and us'. I guess that's why the children felt so comfortable about initiating this program and why we were so grateful that they would want to help us."

Pam said the students developed SASH to give instant peer support to any student who felt alone or bullied.

The school already had strong student welfare programs but, she said, SASH took peer support to another level by ensuring that the playground was a safe and happy place.

A team of 20 Year 6 volunteers was trained at the start of Term 4 in peer mediation and conflict resolution. The group was then issued with fluorescent green jackets and each lunchtime four students are available in the playground. And they use a roster system run by the children.

Students who are unhappy in the playground come to the team leaders and, in nearly all cases, the SASH students resolve matters amicably and quickly. If this does not happen, or in physical situations, the SASH students refer the matter to staff.

"The fact that the students own the SASH program is a key to its success," says Pam. "It means they understand it and have invested something of themselves in it - it depends entirely on them whether it works or not."

The Newcastle & Lake Macquarie Post - "School Program to Stop Bullying" - 2003-02

NBN TV News - "Beating Bullies" - 2003-02-19	play wmv video	518k (1:37) [Click here if you cannot view the video]
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