Peer Counselling

Peer Counselling is an interactive relationship between age groups to influence positive

change. (Bette 2013). It is a process where the peers, i.e. colleagues, discuss their issues
amicably without engaging in reprehensible behaviour and, consequently, improving their
academics.

Simply put, according to Mutie and Ndambuki (1999), peers are persons of the same age,
rank or capacity. In that case, they are friends or companions of age, who learn, talk, compare
ideas and do things together.

A peer is someone you come across in terms of approximate equality, a companion or a

companion. And Peer Counselling is the process of assisting someone to explore and resolve
difficulties they encounter, clarify conflicting issues and helping that person discover
alternative ways of managing themselves and situations so that they decide what type of
action or behaviour helps them.

Peer Counselling is the best alternative for adolescents' need to identify with their peers.
Peers join cliques and groups for the various divergent reasons such as the provision of
personal needs of affiliation and companionship, for a reward that is either material or
psychological; that is prestige & recognition, enjoyment and excitement, provision of
information for raising of their self-esteem and as a means of gaining identity (Lines, 2006).
Students discuss issues at home and school during a peer counselling session, substance
abuse, and career planning. (Tindi & Silsil, 2008)

Peer counselling has been a crucial part of schools' orientation and

counselling programmes for many years in Britain and America. This has been effectively
established and managed by training and coaching learners on life skills and basic
counselling skills. In their counselling programs, teacher counsellors select peer educators by
inviting students to identify two students they are likely to talk to when confronted with
difficulties. Subsequently, the named students are trained and empowered with skills and
techniques to help them reach other learners (Lepan, 2001). While, in Botswana and Uganda,
peer counselling for teenagers is vital as it enables those in the same age bracket to discuss
openly and to express personal problems and shortcomings about those in authority, parents,
teachers and themselves in a free, relaxed atmosphere (Rutondoki, 2000; UNESCO, 2002).
Not only that, in the recent past, the constitution of Kenya stated that they must be involved
in crucial decisions that affect students (Republic of Kenya, 2010; Machogu, 2012). Prefects
are young leaders who are empowered by the school (Machogu 2012). Although prefects
contribute positively to the leadership of the public secondary school in Kenya, there is a
relentless wave of conflict, hostility and resentment mated on prefects by other students
(Ajowi & Simatwa, 2010).

Why Peer Counseling? What are its benefits?

Peer Counselling has been part and parcel of modern classrooms and has gained immense
importance in the curriculum. Observing this, we, the teachers, students, academicians, are
curious to comprehend the why? Why peer counselling?

To answer that, we have enlisted a few benefits of peer counselling.

Conflict Resolution Assistance

When it comes to learning, students face several challenges and maybe uncomfortable
seeking help from teachers or elders. From school stress, relations, or even career
counselling, they face many issues that need to be dealt with adequately. Also, they may need
someone to discuss freely with and get an answer. In such a scenario, peer conflict solving is
the most effective benefit of peer counselling.

Learn from Peers

Peer counsellors have generally experienced the same issues in the past.

Through their experience, they can solve any problem efficiently. In addition, students can
learn from the experiences of their peers and get help resolving their own.

Obtain help or support

From school to college life, students often seek a certain amount of support/assistance. They
need someone to share everything to result in a sound support system and help the students.
Given the pressure at school right now, students need an excellent support system.

Receive updated solutions

Already mentioned, peer counsellors are those who have got their shoes wet already; they are
experienced. Since experience is the best teacher, they can probably give the best and updated
solutions to every problem that will work in day and age. Expecting the exact solutions from
Parents is a big deal because they might not have the experience to understand such problems
or give relevant solutions for the same. Peer counselling eliminates this gap and provides
effective management and solutions.

Provides Safe space

Peer counsellors are sufficiently trained to ensure that it is a safe place where students can
share anything they want. There are non-judgmental. They create a safe space where students
can open themselves and solve any conflict they face. In addition, it cares for their mental
health and lowers their stress as well.

Essential Skills of Peer Counsellor

o Active listening skills (causing no intrusion)

o Empathy and sensitiveness.

o They must keep the student’s information confidential, not gossip about it.

o Good communication skills and the ability to dig deeply into the psyche of a student.

o Amiable in nature.

o Innately interested in helping students with their issues.

Community Counselling

Counseling services generally come in two distinct types: community counseling and
medical counseling. The most common venue for counseling is in an established hospital,
where professionals have the added benefit of providing their services with ready availability
of medical services, prescription drug treatments, and diagnoses of disorders that might
require more intensive therapy and other psychological services. Though common, this is not
the only way to receive counseling services for a wide range of diseases, disorders, and other
issues.

Community counseling takes the service outside of the hospital and puts it directly
into the community, and that's where this particular type of counseling gets its name. Instead
of visiting a hospital, patients can generally visit their counselor at a smaller, private practice.
Though the medical foundation is lost, there are several key advantages to pursuing
counseling in this way:

- Private practice allows for a smaller setting, which might be more comfortable for those
patients who don't like large waiting rooms, crowds, or other distractions.

- Community counseling is often located much closer to where patients actually live. This
makes it easy for those with reduced mobility to attend their appointments without incident or
delay.

- Community counseling services are often more specialized, allowing professionals to help
their patients with a more particular set of skills.