Peers as Change Agents

Book excerpt: In schools, much of the responsibility of implementing interventions to improve outcomes for students falls on teachers, which may lead to capacity and resource issues. One solution to this problem is the use of Peer-Mediated Interventions (PMIs), which include a variety of approaches that utilize similar individuals to the target student (e.g., students in school-based interventions) as interventionists or behavior change agents. Although there is a wealth of research to support the effectiveness of students as interventionists, peers remain an under-utilized resource in school-based intervention delivery. Peers as Change Agents is a comprehensive resource for school-based professionals working to incorporate PMIs across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional interventions. The text synthesizes the current research on school-based PMIs and distills the literature into concrete strategies that can be easily implemented in school-based contexts. Building on the foundational principles of PMIs, the authors reconceptualize this work into three new categories: Peer-Mediated Academic Interventions; Peer-Mediated Behavioral Interventions; and Peer-Mediated Group Supports, to better address students' unique needs. Chapters also highlight the advantages of PMIs, including their potential for cultural relevance. As school staff continue to grapple with the practical challenges of ensuring equity in student outcomes, Peers as Change Agents provides educators, school psychologists, and counsellors effective and efficient tools to support students as change agents in their own learning communities.