Peer Support Foundation of SA
A Short History
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Contact Details:
peersupport@mac.com
Kaye Iversen
Executive Officer
History
In 1971, a sixteen year old boy who attended a North Shore High School in Sydney, died of a heroin overdose. The Principal contacted the New South Wales Department of Health for help. The outcome of discussions between Elizabeth Campbell, a Drug and Health Education Officer and the school community, was the establishment of a support program where trained senior students worked with incoming students in their first year of High School. By 1974 there were 30 schools running the program, but due to Government funding being stopped, the initiative was discontinued.In 1980 Elizabeth began again in earnest, and with support from the Crows Nest Rotary Club she introduced the Program back into a local High School. With Rotary support, a steering committee was formed in 1982 to investigate the establishment of a Peer Support Foundation (NSW). This was established In 1983. With Rotary support and Government funding the Foundation was able to promote and implement programs in more than 300 New South Wales schools.
In 1985, through the initiative of a Health Nurse from C.Y.F.S., a Peer Support Program was piloted at Smithfield Plains High School, South Australia. Interest from Northern Area Departmental Schools led to a workshop for South Australia with two people coming from New South Wales to facilitate the training.
In 1986, three additional schools implemented a Peer Support Program. Doug Williams, an adviser in the Northern Area Education Department and a volunteer helped to expand the Peer Support Program in South Australian schools and by 1988, 24 secondary schools throughout South Australia were running the Program. This included public and private schools in the country and the city.
Involved school communities, teachers and students realised the need for co-ordination to support, maintain, and develop the Program if it was to remain viable in the long term. Their interest and involvement, along with the support of Rotacare District 952 in South Australia, led to an interest meeting being held in January of 1988. James Dibble was flown from New South Wales and addressed this meeting. The outcome was a steering committee to look at the establishment of an independent organisation for South Australia.
On the 22nd of June 1988, a meeting was held and a constitution was carried for the Peer Support Foundation of South Australia. A Management Board was elected, and incorporation as a non profit educational organisation followed. The South Australian Foundation is independent from others interstate, although the aims are compatible. Its role is to support and facilitate the Peer Support Program in South Australia, particularly in schools.
The success of the Program in secondary schools led to the piloting of a similar Program for Primary Schools. The first Primary workshop was held in 1989.
In 1991 there were 57 schools running a Peer Support Program in South Australia. Included in these school numbers were primary, secondary and area schools.
1992 was the first year that the secondary Peer Support Program was run within Stage 1 SACE units. These included Community Studies, Personal Development Studies, and Health Education.
In 1993 a Primary based trainer and a secondary based trainer where included in the team.
By the end of 1994 there was close to 200 schools involved in the Program. Support was needed if the Program was to be maintained and expanded into other schools.
After 18 months of negotiations an agreement was signed mid-1996 between the Minister for Education and Children's Services, DECS and the Peer Support Foundation of SA Inc. The agreement involved:
- a project whereby 5 schools in South Australia received support and training to implement and evaluate a Peer Support Program
- three training workshops for school counsellors
- the development of support materials.
In 1998, researchers from the National Institute of Research in Tokyo Japan came to Adelaide to gather information on the Peer Support Program and its impact on reducing harassment in schools. The outcome was a Peer Support Program training workshop run in Tokyo for twelve Japanese teachers in the Yokohama prefecture. In 1999 the Japanese Peer Support Program was introduced.
During 1998 a new package of activities was written in partnership with the ISB (Independent Schools Board) which focussed on peer education with blood borne viruses.
A partnership with QUIT saw a similar styled activity package written for Tobacco Education.
Competencies from the TAFE national training package for Community Services introduced in the year 2000 have been embedded into Stage 1 SACE subjects where the Peer Support Program is the focus to work placement.