P.EP Outline 2007

P e e r s
E m p o w e r i n g
P e e r s
Introduction Outline
(Working To Establish Safe Students/Schools/Communities)

 1990, 2007 L i f e c y c l e C o u n s e l l i n g
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Peer Empowering
Peers
Ray Pidzamecky M.S.W. RSW
rpidzamecky@theedge.ca
905-466-0444
Penny Smith M.S.W. RSW
Richard Best, Contributing Editor
Chester Press

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Published by
Chester Press
1011 Upper Middle Road East, Suite 1415,
Oakville, Ontario L6H 2Z6
(905) 332-8508
 1999, Lifecycle Counselling
ISBN: 0-9685046-1-2
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted at any
time or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the
publisher.
Desktop Publishing by
Writing At Work
Oakville, Ontario
(905) 844-2680

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Peer Empowering Peers
What is Peers Empowering Peers?
All around us we have witnessed our young people intentionally and accidentally
dying, being injured and being victimized. As adults we spend tremendous
amounts of money and time on reactive intervention (tertiary) and to small degree
prevention (primary). Even with the best of intentions we see through different
statistics that our youth are feeling more stress and still ending up being victims
and casualties.
In the transition years, grades 7 through 9, students enter one of the most
exciting and demanding periods in their personal development. A whole range of
potentially helpful and destructive experiences mark this period. Decisions in
these years have tremendous impact on future outcomes. All of this occurs
against a backdrop of school culture.
Students have stated to us that inviting quest speakers to talk about their own
experiences has in part been entertaining and informative but not as meaningful
as having their peers speak with them. Guest speakers are not a part of the
school culture. Their commitment and concern is doubted when they are seen to
come in then leave. With regards to the adults in the schools, some students feel
that they are not as influential or credible as their peers. As a result, we decided
to develop a program that would use School Social Workers/Child Care Workers,
Youth Counsellors grade 11/12 students of both genders, who could meet with all
the grade 9 students in an attempt to create a safer culture. The seniors are a
part of the school culture on a daily bases. They are visible, tangible and
eventually approachable.
If we can help students to empower themselves and each other, the results will
not only benefit them but also the communities they reside in. Most intervention
models work from the top down. The adults make the decision and on a very
subliminal level make young people dependent rather than self-driven and
responsible for themselves and each other.
Peers Empowering Peers is a service delivery model that is strength based that
acknowledges the students’ strengths, their personnel resources and their ability
to harness those attributes to benefit each other and their community. It is our
belief that through the P.E.P. program students can begin to shape their own
culture (re-culturation) to foster positive personal growth, increase capacity and
regard for each other.
The decision to have senior students in-service grade 9's is in fact an
empowering tool that allows grade 9 students to express their fears, anxieties
and concerns in ways they may not have been able to do before. The grade 9's
have expressed many positive comments about the program. Some of these
comments can be found in the section titled Student Comments.

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P.E.P (Peers Empowering Peers)
Program
P.E.P. (Peers Empowering Peers) A Senior Led Peer Education
Program
Target:
Grade 9 students.
Objectives:
1. To dispel myths held by younger students.
2. To give youth information coupled with abstinence and harm reduction
messages.
3. To encourage discussion around the issues of harassment, discrimination,
intimidation, racism, labelling, abuse and violence.
4. Start identifying, in a proactive manner, students who are possibly at risk
rather than identifying them reactively following a crisis
5. Teach students to be aware of various mental health issues such as
depression/eating disorders/ so that timely intervention can be offered to
their peers.
6. Impact in a meaningful way as to reduce the risks of death and harm to our
youth whether that is through intentional or accidental actions.
7. To help foster a sense of community between senior and junior students.
8. Provide an unencumbered opportunity to ask the questions they need to
ask.
9. Reduce acting out and impulsivity and alienation.
10. Welcome the grade 9’s into the school. Make them a positive part of school
culture-full members in the ‘club’ rather than the applicants.
11. In achieving the above objectives, create a safe student/school and
community environment.
Strategy:
To achieve the above objectives by utilizing senior students to communicate
information, share opinions and respond to questions from grade 9 students
under the supervision of social workers. We are looking for ‘social leaders’-
generally students concerned with other students’ well being and have a social
conscience and understanding of stressors inside and outside the school.
In addition to the use of senior students the High School Resource Officers play
a key role and participate in the in servicing all grade 9 students.

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Peers Empowering Peers
Primary Program Target Areas
Safe Students
Schools
Communities
Threat Risk
Assessment
Integrate Officers Into
School Culture &
Demystify Stereotype
Increase
Communication
Between Students &
Students - Adults
Harm Reduction
Through Discussion
Example Education

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Primary Program Target Areas
Safe Students/Schools/Communities
The major goal of PEP is to establish a safer school environment. As each first-year
class receives PEP the overall school culture begins to change. Changes that occur in
response to PEP result in students taking more responsibility for themselves and each
other. The full process of community change takes 3-4 years depending on the number
of grades in your high school
Harm Reduction Through Discussion/Example/ Education
Through the PEP process everyone works together to reduce harm. Senior students play
a key role in creating a safe school environment. The credibility of senior students
encourages younger students to be more receptive to harm reduction messages.
Seniors are a respected part of the school culture, able to move freely within it and able
to affect change that is timely and accepted. The senior students’ work during and after
the delivery of PEP positively influences other students.
Threat/Risk Assessment
The issue of school violence has become a serious concern to educators, law
enforcement and the community. Most violence is preventable when it is identified,
evaluated and managed proactively.
During the delivery of PEP some of the grade 9 students’ comments and/or behaviours
may suggest the possibly of them being at risk. When this situation occurs, the student
should at least be brought to the attention of professional staff (i.e. School Social
Worker/School Child Care Worker/School Psychologist) to determine whether the
student is at risk to themselves or others. Each school should determine its’ professional
staff team and protocol.
This process of informal risk identification happens quickly and continuously throughout
the school year. Grade 9 students often feel it is more acceptable to express concerns
about their peers to a senior student, rather than an adult, because of the social stigma
of having been perceived as being a ‘rat’ or ‘snitching’.
PEP seniors are encouraged, as part of their training agreement, to share any concerns
about grade 9 students with the PEP staff.
Integrate Officers Into School Culture/Demystify Stereotype
Many communities have well-established relationships with local police officers. Still, we
need to do more work in the school community. Some of our effort needs to go towards
establishing relationships with our police services that are not solely based on
responding to crisis situations.
Law enforcement personnel are key to the prevention of harm. A visible presence of
uniformed School Resource Officers (S.R.O.’s) enhances the proactive nature of not
only the PEP program but also any other violence prevention efforts that schools
provide. As a result, officers and students develop relationships based on mutual trust

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and respect while at the same time working to establish a safe environment.
The relationships created by the P.E.P. program between students and police help to
create self-determining partnerships. Self-determining partnerships are defined as those
in which students, school staff and the police, work proactively to establish a safe
environment.
Increase Communication Between Students & Students/Adults
Common sense and experience tells us that open lines of communication are key to
establishing a safer community. When students, police and administration participate in
a community development initiative like PEP, significant progress is made in the
prevention of violence, death, alienation and isolation.

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Circles of Safety
Community
Family
School/Support
Staff/Teachers
Peers
Student

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A Partial Overview of High School
Culture/Issues

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Past Year Drug Use (%) by Grade Level, 1997
Grade7% Grade9% Grade11% Grade13%
Alcohol 31.9 55.3 80.6 78.7
Tobacco 10.2 26 43.4 30.9
Cannabis 3.4 23.9 42 31.9
Glue 3.5 1.5 0 0
Solvents 4.2 2.7 1.6 0.9
First Use of Drug
Among smokers:..………………22% in grades 5/6
Among drinkers:………………..21% in grades 5/6
Amongst cannabis users………....8% in grades 5/6
Ontario Student Drug Use Survey, 1997
Addiction Research Foundation

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY X
OSDUS 1999
The 1999 cycle of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health=s Ontario Student Drug Use
Survey, is the longest ongoing study of adolescent drug use in Canada. The study, which spans
over two decades, is based on 12 surveys conducted every two years since 1977. In the spring of
1999, 4,894 students (77% of selected students) from 38 school boards, 111 schools and 285
classes participated in the survey administered by the Institute for Social Research, York
University. This report describes rates and patterns of drug use in 1999 and changes since 1977.
Unlike previous surveys, which sampled students in Grade 7, 9, 11 and 13 (OAC) only, the 1999
OSDUS surveyed students in all grades from 7 to 13 inclusive. Consequently, to ensure
appropriate trend comparisons. We present two 1999 estimates, one based on all students in
Grade 7 to 13 (n4,894) and the other based on students in Grades 7, 9, 11 and 13 only (n2,868).
Past Year Drug Use (%) by Gender and Grade Level, 1999
Note NM=nonmedical use.M=medical use. H estimate less than 0.5%
The 1999 OSDUS Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Executive Summary
Drug Total Males/Females 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Alcohol 67. 5 70.7 64.2 39.7 53.7 63.1 74.9 82.0 84.6 83.0
Cannabis 29.3 33.5 25.1 3.6 14.9 25.5 36.4 48.1 39.4 43.3
Cigarettes 29.2 29.8 28.6 7.4 17.8 27.8 37.4 41.7 38.6 38.0
Hallucinogens 13.8 16.2 11.4 0.9 6.7 10.2 19.3 22.7 18.1 24.7
M Barbiturates 12.3 12.6 12.0 11.1 13.9 11.1 13.7 13.6 12.5 9.4
NM Stimulants 7.8 6.1 9.5 1.8 6.3 6.9 7.8 8.8 10.0 12.8
Solvents 7.1 6.1 8.1 12.1 11.2 8.4 4.6 4.9 3.9 1.4
LSD 6.8 8.0 5.5 1.2 3.9 6.8 10.4 10.7 7.8 6.9
NM Stimulants 6.8 7.4 6.2 4.7 6.3 6.9 7.8 8.8 7.5 4.3
Methaphetamines 5.3 6.6 4.0 1.5 3.1 3.5 6.1 8.2 8.4 8.4
Ecstasy (MDMA) 4.4 4.5 4.2 0.6 1.9 2.3 4.4 9.8 4.8 7.8
NM Barbiturates 4.4 4.1 4.7 2.5 4.4 3.2 5.2 7.0 3.9 4.9
Cocaine 3.7 4.2 3.2 2.5 2.0 3.2 3.8 5.4 3.6 6.4
Glue 3.6 3.7 3.5 6.8 6.3 4.3 1.1 2.1 2.0 1.2
M Tranquillizers 3.3 3.5 3.1 1.9 3.5 3.8 3.1 3.1 4.0 4.2
PCP 3.0 3.2 2.8 0.7 2.7 3.1 3.5 5.4 2.3 3.0
NM Tranquillizers 2.4 2.3 2.5 - 1.9 1.7 1.3 3.1 4.1 5.8
Crack 2.4 2.9 1.8 0.6 1.6 3.0 3.8 3.6 2.4 1.1
Heroin 1.9 2.4 1.3 0.5 2.8 2.5 1.5 1.8 2.2 1.6
Ice (crystal meth.) 1.4 2.0 0.8 - 1.2 1.1 0.9 3.2 1.6 0.9

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – OSDUS 2001
The 2001 cycle of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Ontario Student Drug Use
Survey (OSDUS), is the longest ongoing study of adolescent drug use in Canada. The study,
which spans over two decades, is based on 13 surveys conducted every two years since 1977. In
the spring of 2001, 4,211 students (71% of selected students) from 41 school boards, 106 schools
and 272 classes participated in the survey administered by the Institute for Social Research, York
University. This report describes rates and patterns of drug use in 2001 and changes since 1977.
Data are provided for two groups of students: those in grade 7, 9, 11 and 13 (OAC) (grade
levels surveyed between 1977 and 1997) and those in grades 7 through 13 (grade levels surveyed
in 1999 and 2001). The first group is used to assess long-term trends between 1977 to 2001, while
the secondgroup is used to assess drug use in 2001 and 1999.
Past Year Drug Use (%) by Total, Sex and Grade, OSDUS 2001
Drug Total Males/Females 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Alcohol 65.6 66.3 65.0 36.1 52.0 60.9 76.8 81.0 80.0 86.2
Cannabis 29.8 33.7 26.0 5.1 12.0 28.8 39.0 45.7 43.5 43.9
Cigarettes 23.6 23.3 23.8 5.0 10.7 23.4 29.9 35.8 36.3 29.3
Hallucinogens 11.4 13.2 9.6 0.9 3.8 9.7 15.2 19.2 20.5 14.4
M Barbiturates 11.8 12.5 11.1 7.6 10.9 12.8 16.1 9.8 12.5 11.2
NM Stimulants 3.9 3.5 4.3 2.3 3.0 2.9 8.1 2.9 4.0 2.0
Solvents 5.7 5.5 6.0 9.7 9.3 7.6 3.8 2.3 3.9 S
LSD 4.9 6.0 3.1 0.9 2.5 4.6 8.0 5.0 7.8 1.4
NM Stimulants 3.9 3.5 4.3 2.3 3.0 2.9 8.1 2.9 4.0 2.0
Methaphetamines 3.8 5.0 2.7 1.2 1.4 3.7 6.8 4.9 5.0 2.5
Ecstasy (MDMA) 6.0 6.7 5.4 0.9 3.0 7.2 6.8 9.5 9.2 6.8
NM Barbiturates 3.9 3.5 4.3 2.3 3.0 2.9 8.1 2.9 4.0 2.0
Cocaine 4.3 4.6 3.9 2.4 3.2 3.2 6.5 7.0 3.5 2.6
Glue 3.0 3.7 2.3 3.9 5.7 3.8 2.7 1.2 1.8 S
M Tranquillizers 3.2 4.0 2.4 1.2 3.7 2.3 2.6 5.4 5.9 2.1
PCP 2.7 3.2 2.2 0.8 1.2 3.8 3.7 2.9 4.4 1.3
NM Tranquillizers 2.2 2.8 1.7 0.6 2.1 1.4 2.7 3.3 4.2 1.9
Crack 2.0 2.4 1.6 0.5 1.7 3.7 1.4 2.6 2.9 0.5
Heroin 1.0 1.4 0.7 0.9 0.9 2.2 1.2 0.5 S S
Ice (crystal meth.) 0.6 0.7 S 0.6 1.0 S 0.6 1.2 S 0.5
GHB 1.2 1.7 0.8 0.6 S 1.2 3.6 S 1.2 0.9
Ritalin 2.8 3.8 1.7 4.2 4.2 2.4 2.7 1.8 2.0 0.9

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The Mental Health of Ontario’s Children
 Almost one in five Ontario children and youth have at least one mental health disorder,
meaning close to 500,000 Ontario children need mental health treatment. Children’s
mental health disorders include depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit
(hyperactivity) disorder, conduct and antisocial disorders, eating disorders, substance
abuse, psychosomatic disorders and others.
 Only one in six of these children in need receive any therapeutic intervention. Another
report estimated that less than 25% of children in need are receiving treatment in formal
care systems.
 Forty-one percent of children in mother-led single parent families show at least one
developmental problem.
 Canada’s youth suicide rate has increased 300% in the last three decades, and has
doubled for boys aged 10-14. Canada’s youth suicide rate is the third highest in the
industrial world. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-24 year old
Canadians, after accidents.
 Poor children are more than twice as likely to have a problem in health, emotional
development, academics, and hyperactivity and are three and a half times more likely to
show aggressive and antisocial behaviour.
 It costs an average $2,500 annually to treat one child for a year at a children’s mental
health centre; it costs between $45,000 and $100,000 to keep a person in prison for a
year.
 In 1995-96, youth courts in Canada heard 111,027 cases; half of these involving teens 16
or 17 years old.
 The incidence of violent crime committed by young offenders increased 6.6% between
1992 and 1996.
 Eighty percent of young offenders show evidence of mental health problems.
 Fifty-seven percent of youth in the young offender system had prior contact with the
children’s service system; 25% had five or more contacts; 13.4% had one or more
admissions a psychiatric hospital.
 This Government’s own Task Force on Strict Discipline found that mental health
problems are the prime cause of deviant behaviours among young people.
CMHA Ontario Division
DIVISION DE L’ONTARIO180 Dundas Street West,
Suite 2301,
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8
Phone: (416) 977-5580 Fax: (416) 977-2264
November 1998

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Date Rape/Sexual Assault
 Both men and women can be sexually assaulted however, most perpetrators are
men against women
 Most rape survivors do not disclose their assault as they blame themselves. They
feel shame and guilt and a loss of face in having been violated. They fear reprisal;
they fear they may not be believed; they fear they may be re-victimized by the
justice system; they fear they may experience another assault
 51% of Canadian women, aged 16-24 will be sexually assaulted
(Canadian Panel on violence against Women in Ottawa-1993)
 Only 1% of women who have been sexually assaulted reported it to the police
(Canadian Panel on violence against Women in Ottawa-1993)
 80-90% were assaulted by someone known to them
(“Date Rape is no Private Affair” In Voices. D.Meagan-1992)
 45.1% of female Canadian university/college students were sexually assaulted by
their male dating partner (The Canadian journal of Sociology. Vol.18-1993)
 1 in 5 victims of completed rape, attempted suicide- compared with a rate of 1 in
50 for non-assaulted women (The Psychological Aftermath” In Psychology
Today, E.Stark. p.48-1985)
 83% 0f women with disabilities will be sexually assaulted during their lifetime
(Toronto Disabled Women’s Network-1991)
 60% of Canadian college aged males indicated that they would commit sexual
assault if they were certain that they would not get caught (Ontario Institute for
Studies In Education-1992)
 Males who espouse the ideology of familial patriarchy (i.e. the ideals of male
power and control over women in intimate relationships) are more likely to
equally abuse their dating partners (The Journal of Human Justice. Vol.4-1993)
From: “Date Rape: A Question of Trust”
A Resource Guide for Educators  1996
Written by: Pixie Bigelow and Dee Simpson
Three points from Rex Rogers report June 1990 (Special Advisor to the
Minister of National Health and Welfare on Chid Sexual Abuse in Canada
 95% of the abusers are males
 1 in 3 males will be sexually assaulted before 16
 13-16 age group is high-risk for victimization

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Peer Harassment in the Schools
1. The behaviour and its impact
In high school harassment consists of following in the halls, repeated threats, constant
phone calls and messages sent through third parties, intimidation of siblings, leaving
notes or props in lockers and backpacks. Significant invasion of personal space is
difficult to monitor because the culture of high school is physically dense packed.
Harassment is an issue of power and control and the behaviour itself is violent in
addition to being a precursor to further violence.
Offenders cause and sustain harassment and victimization
However, there are other variables that recreate the conditions established by the
offender:
Isolation (you become ashamed to admit you‘re powerless)
Distorted belief system (believe you deserve the treatment)
Impact of larger system (believe that there are limited resources and they wouldn’t
work for you any way. No one would believe you. Your situation is common and
cannot change — you just have to adapt.)
2. Responses to harassment
Complaints by students:
- Administrators do not treat harassment seriously enough. Incidents of harassment are
not followed up, or they are minimized or the victim is blamed for inciting the
harassment.
- Administrators worry about unjustly accusing the offender (without proof) but fail to
recognize that the rights and freedoms of the victim are curtailed if the harasser is at
large.
- Often adults frame boy-girl or girl-boy harassment as a natural by product of a failed
relationship. It’s not, it’s criminal activity by an offender who has given him/herself’
permission to ‘go after’ another person.
- What happens is the fear the kids experience begins to consume them and restrict
their lives and normal behaviour.
- When adults give kids advice kids don’t trust it, they don’t believe it will work and
often the adults don’t understand the school culture and the advice is too simplistic.
Often the suggestions will only work for adults. When older peers give kids support
and advice it creates hope.
Note: the larger culture tells adolescents that to be popular they have to wear the
right clothes, be thin, by the right products, have incredible personal freedom
and finances and love loud noise and frantic behaviour. Attempting to meet
these criteria makes them vigilant and anxious. They can become so overly
dependent on other teens’ opinions that they become vulnerable to prolonged

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harassment and control behaviour by other kids. They become so controlled
that their thinking becomes distorted. This distorted thinking can happen to
teachers and administrators who worry excessively about the opinions of
parents and community members who feel schools are too punitive or
‘uptight’ or that bullying and harassment are just normal teasing.
Recommendations of the Criminal harassment roundtable sponsored by CAVEAT
and the Halton Regional Police Services 1999:
Educators must be informed about criminal harassment and that it become a
mandatory part of personal health curriculum.
The youth he seen as a positive resource in educating other youth about harassment
and provide peer mediation.
Schools need to recognize the social and resource implications of not dealing with this
issue.
Currently we know of no treatment protocol for criminal harassment. We only know
about inclusion, safety of support and acceptance.
Harassment always has the potential for violence.
The victim must be informed of any procedures involving the offender

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Gangs
Pre Crisis Indicators
1. Sudden self-segregation
2. Clustering of rival groups
3. Unusual movement of groups from their normal territory
4. Students attending school event which they do not normally attend
5. Isolated racial fights
6. Violent incidents or disorder in the community
7. Discovery of weapons on or around school property
8. Increased conflict on buses, at bus stops, and along bus routes
9. Increased concern between custodial, cafeteria, and transportation personnel
10. Parents withdrawing students to protect them
11. Older students attempting to protect younger students who are not their siblings
12. Increase in gang graffiti on walls, textbooks, and papers.
13. “X-ing” out of graffiti on walls, fences, etc. in the neighbourhood
14. Sudden and excessive change of the style of manner of wearing clothes.
15. Limited colour choices of clothing (usually to one or two colours only)
16. The sudden interest and excessive concern about the condition of accessories, such as
bandana
The Three Big Lies
Protection
Gang members tell themselves they must belong to a gang to remain safe, before, during and after
school.
Truth
Membership in a street gang exponentially increases risk of physical danger to the gang
member.
Belonging
The gang claims to treat you like a family and care about your welfare. They claim not to judge
and to accept you, as you are - good or bad as that may be.
Truth
Gangs function directly opposite of true families. Where true families sacrifice, for
example, for the benefit of the individual member, the gang requires the individual to
sacrifice for the whole. Further, the gang does judge you by requiring a certain type of
dress and adherence to a rules code, often enforced violently.
Respect
Gang members always mistake fear as respect. They continually worry about who is or is not
showing the proper amount of “respect I fear.” Fear does share many results with respect but
there is a significant difference.
Truth
One can make another afraid but no one can force another to have regard for another
person. The difference between respect and fear is the difference between repulsion and
attraction.
Gang information provided by Mike Knox gang expert and
author of the award-winning book; “Gangsta in the House”
at a Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Police Service
sponsored presentation October 5, 1999

19
Student Comments
The P.E.P. program police contacts are Constable Stewart
Flameling of the Halton Regional Police Service, Constable
Laureen Ross of the Niagara Regional Police Service.

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FEEDBACK - Grade 9 Students Pearson High ,
Oakville, Ontario Canada
I felt that it was a way of asking things that might be strange to ask a teacher. I felt that
it’s easier to open up to an older student just because of what they have gone through by
experience. What we should have had is a class with both boys and girls with some of
the older classes where we could talk with both of us there. We covered a lot of (girls &
boys) subjects and I really learned a lot. They were helpful and it would be good for next
year’s grade 9’s.
- didn’t like it being only 2 days.
- good idea for the older students to teach us. It allowed us to feel more comfortable
around them.
-would have liked to see the guys and the girls together in class.
-would enjoy doing this again and I think all grade 9’s should get this opportunity.
I liked the idea that we got the chance to talk to the OAC, 11, 12’s about problems that
they might have gone through. I’m glad because they are from our school as well and
know about the stuff that goes around and it’s easier because they can give us advice
about the situation. I’m also glad because they gave us some helpful advice, because we
have a lot in common with them because some of them might be our friends or because
they related more to the “students” than the teachers and it’s more helpful.
-more classes with the senior students (more than 2).
-having senior students get their own groups of them to talk to the whole class.
-special classes on only one subject (like divorce).
-I liked it because they were around our age.
-It was cool we could talk to them about anything.
-I believe we should keep having them come in.
-I really liked talking to the senior students especially the girls.
-I thought that this was a real cool and neat thing to do.
-personal stories good.
-everything said I could relate too.
-assembly fun.
to expand on: Personally I think oral sex is gross but some girls in grade 9 do it and do it
without a condom. I don’t think that they realize that they can get the same STD’s as you
can from having sex without a condom. Please could you say something especially to
some of the girls in this class?
I felt it was really helpful in some ways, it was fun, it wasn’t really serious like taking
notes and stuff, but yet it was. It was a good idea to have students talk to students

21
because they understand more because sometimes-older people don’t realize that kids our
age are actually going through some serious issues. They think we are so innocent when
we are not. It helped us, as grade 9’s to get to know older students. I think it was a good
idea to talk about these issues. It would be a good idea to do this next year for the new
grade 9’s.
I thought it was really interesting and I think you should definitely do it again. It was
especially good that it was students talking to us and they answered honestly. I think next
time you do it there should be a third day where the guys and girls get together, but other
than that it was great!
It was cool that we could talk about anything with the senior students. It was a lot of fun!
We should have a grade 10 program just like it.
About the last couple of days I liked how the older students could relate to your questions
and are a lot easier to talk too. It was nice to have the different sides between boys and
girls. It was also cool to here the guys' statements. There was nothing I didn’t like about
the last couple of days.
I think we should do it more just 2 classes. It should be 4 to 5 classes that way you can
ask more questions. But it was fun and everyone opened up, that was good. When the
guys came in at first I thought they were lying but they were telling the truth and I like
that. Do it some more times.
I think we should have the talks go longer than 2 days. I think we should have one class
where it is co-ed.
I liked the idea of the students coming in, but they weren’t specific! I also feel that it is
much more comfortable with senior students. This helped a lot and would be really good
if we went (grade 10)
-should be a longer period of time.
- liked that the older kids came in and talked to us.
I thought it was a good unit. It helped us figure some things out. Having the older
students talk to us and answer questions was good because they’ve been through this
stuff. Next time you should make the unit longer than 2-3 days.
- very positive and good way to have questions answered
- more comfortable without a teacher there.
- could it be done for students in grade 8 maybe in May or June before they start high
school?
- extend the amount of classes. My suggestion is (5) - two with same gender-two
with other gender- one with guy and girl class with senior guys and girls.
- didn’t find I got into it the first class maybe because the guys weren’t as calm, but I
didn’t want it to be the last class like that.
-would like a co-ed class.

22
-instead of assembly, have one girl class and one guy class, and put them together.
It was good that we had the older students talking with us. We should have had more
classes not just two. After the two we should have had one with mixed classes. It was also
good that the teachers weren’t in the classes because people opened up more when they
weren’t. Everything is confidential I like the adults too. They were very nice and made it
easy to understand.
I thought the section went well. Although I wished the students could of have covered a
little more I wish we the students could have had a little more say. I think that you
definitely should do this next year. I would like to do this again.
- I thought it was really good that we got a chance to ask questions to older people
without being criticized.
- I would love to have a chance to do it again.
- I think they should do this more.
- maybe the boys and girls could have a class to talk together.
- I would like to hear more things that happened to the people that shared with us.
- I liked hearing Jamie’s story
I enjoyed last week's sessions a lot just because I like hearing about other people’s point
of view, especially since it had to do with social issues in high school. I found some of
the information quite resourceful but there was some I didn’t agree with. It was fun
having guys in for class, I felt that we couldn’t click as well on issues more “girl-related”
but other than that it was great. In the near future, I’d love to see speakers that have been
through it. (related issues we’ve talked about like eating disorders, drug overdose,
depression, etc.
- have three sessions, the last one with both sexes mixed together (as in the older people
that talk to us).
- at the end of the year have a follow-up and see how we changed and if our problems are
the same.
- I thought it was a really great experience and I look forward to being an older person
and help out.
-it really helped me out with things I was thinking about.
- have more sessions.
- it was good to talk without teachers; we felt we could be more open.
- didn’t like when we had an assembly with the teachers, we felt we had to close up.
- I think that it was a very good program as to helping us with out problems.
- I think that they should do this for all grade 9 over the next few years because it really
helps us a lot.

23
- It made me understand why a lot of the older girls give us dirty looks and how they are
kind of intimidated by us.
I thought the program you put together was a great idea. It gave us a chance to get their
questions.
I think it was good to have girls and guys in because girls can relate to what we are
saying. The guys we could ask questions about what guys think about certain topics. I
think you should have a third class before the assembly with the guys and girls together
so we have a chance to ask more questions on what they had to say. I think it was good to
have the assembly because it gave us a chance to find out a little of what the guys said. I
think it would be good to have a class about once a month just if we need to ask more
questions. We always have stuff on our mind and we don’t always have a chance to ask
questions.
- more than 2 lessons.
-talk about actual experiences that happen to us.
- grade 10 should get it - good information.
- longer assembly.
- more information from the guys who were open and honest.
- they respect us more now.
- more fun than writing.
Having the seniors come in to talk to us was a really good idea. I think maybe you should
have some of the seniors come and talk to us all throughout the year. It was good to have
the girls talk to the guys and us because we found out how guys (older) look at girls
(younger).
- should have had more than 2 classes.
- it was fun. - the quizzes made it fun.
- a very good idea because instead of talking with teachers we could talk to seniors.
- it made it easier to open up and ask questions.
- the assembly was a good idea.
- could have had at least one more class where the senior guys and girls talk to us
together so we hear both sides at the same time.
-more fun than writing.
I think there should have been at least one more session. It was good to talk to the older
students to see what they thought of us, and to get their point of view on things. Not
having the teachers in the room was a good idea too because we didn’t have to worry
about what the teacher thought. I liked having all of the grade 9’s together at the end, and
having the senior students tell us what other grade 9’s talked about.
- good idea to make us feel more comfortable with other senior students.
- I didn’t find the sessions extremely helpful or useful to myself. We all need to

24
- understand that not everybody goes to party’s hangout and take interest in drugs
and so forth.
-I’m sure many people may have found it very interesting overall but I couldn’t relate to
some of the topics, although I did find the stories on Friday inspiring and interesting.
- great idea to have senior students work with juniors.
- allowed us to see what it is like to a senior student.
- gave us valuable knowledge (cleared up all misunderstandings).
- gave us a chance to talk with each other and to tell about how we were feeling.
- a great way for the grade nine girls to connect with each other/got to know each other a
lot better.
- the two classes were very valuable.
- I’m more comfortable with the seniors now.
- would strongly suggest continuing this program.
I thought the program you put together was a great idea. It gave us a chance to get their
questions answered by other kids. There should have been more talk on maybe the
consequences of what may happen if you drink, do drugs, have sex etc. etc. There also
should have been more classes with the older kids.
I liked the idea of talking to the seniors; they did a good job of answering the questions
we had. I would have liked to have done it longer!
- I really liked the idea of older students coming in to talk to us.
- next time you might want to bring in grade 10’s because they were in grade 9 last year
and they can relate better.
- having the social worker in was a big help too because the question we were afraid to
ask, Ray asked pretty good questions that were the same thing we were trying to ask!
- I really enjoyed being open with someone!
- I think you should continue on this throughout the years.
I thought the seniors coming in to talk to us this year for health was a really good idea. I
was thinking before class “why do we have to learn about drugs again?” But I found it
very informative, and I think they should do this every year for the gr. 9’s. One thing I
think we should have done is mix the girls & boys class and have the senior girls and
boys come talk to us together. I really had fun talking to these people and I think the gr.
9’s might have made a few new friends.
I think that it was really good how we had that discussion on Friday because some of the
students like me are really shy and afraid of opening up and talking about sex, peer
pressure and a lot of other things. It made me realize that I shouldn’t be pressured by my
friends to do anything bad. But right now I have a really good group of friends who I
trust and don’t pressure me into doing things I don’t want to do. I also think that the
session really helped some people I know who want to have sex and the session made
them realize that they should wait. I think that some of the stories that I heard were very
sad and that I know that it must have hurt them a lot to retell the story but some people
think that it’s funny, but I don’t and I don’t want it to ever happen to me.

25
- I think that we should have a class with the grade nine guys.
- it would be good if we could get together once a week to talk about what’s happening.
- it was great talking to the seniors.
- it was good because we got to say what was on our minds.
- I liked having the senior students come, I wish we could have had more time.
- I don’t think it would be the same having teachers do it because teachers are not the
kind of people you like to talk to.
- I wish we could have a class mixed boys/girls because then we would see what their
points of views are.
- teachers also can’t do it because they are not up to date with what’s happening they
think everything is the same as when they were young.
-I would have liked to have known what the guys' answers were to the questions we were
asked.
I though that the assembly was a good idea and that the older students did a good job. I
would like to see more of group discussions.
- I thought the way it was organized was great but they should have had a small session
with girls and guys.
- I think they should carry on with it for the other grade 9’s next year.
- It might be good if some senior students go in and talk to the grade 8’s before they come
to high school.
- It really made me more comfortable with older kids.
- over all I think it was very good and beneficial.
These sessions were helpful to us grade 9’s. They answered questions from their
experiences which had the consequences involved. They were open and serious and
didn’t laugh at the stupid questions. They helped me to see situations in different points
of view and understanding the opposite sex a little more. It helped me with relationships
and how to handle them with more care.

26
Feedback: Grade 9 Students Blessed Trinity
High School, Grimsby, Ontario Canada
•I thought this program was very interesting and it was a time when we could open
up and ask questions and I found it was fun and interesting, I would love to do it
again, and it was worth it.
•The most positive aspects of this program were that you could talk to the older
students that have been through the things we go through now.
• It was a good program and most of the questions were answered well with honest
answers.
•The older students were very up front and honest. They told us to watch out for
dangerous things. They didn’t say, “don’t do this and don’t do that” it was great that
they told the truth it was a great experience, I learned a lot.
•We learned about things that we never knew about and to act more wisely. You
could talk about everything without feeling embarrassed. You might next year not
have boy/girl mix classes, they don’t go well together
•I learned a lot without being embarrassed to ask and that everyone had questions just
like I had. It was worthwhile because it gives me the chance to ask questions I
wouldn’t normally ask.
•This helped us to make better decisions. You learned a lot about social problems and
weren’t embarrassed.
•I liked the openness, the confidentiality, and the acceptance of all
comments/questions. I would have liked to talk more about violence and eating
disorders but I really thought this program was fun and educational Please do it next
year!
•This is a great program because we get to know everything that is bothering us, we
get to ask questions that we have been wondering about and the seniors answered our
questions seriously. You should make it longer next year, we need more time.
•I liked being able to hear other people who have been through these things and give
opinions on our problems. I didn’t like how some questions were screened but I
enjoyed the program.
•I liked being able to ask things freely. — Everyone was honest and open-minded, I
think the leaders also had fun and that is important.
•It was good being able to have seniors answer questions you could never ask your

27
parents but want to know about. I think it was a great experience, I learned a lot about
things I didn’t know much about before. You could talk about even more issues next
time though.
•I liked being able to talk to our peers; it was much easier than adults.
•We got to know the gr. 12’s and OAC’s better, we learned a lot of important stuff to
help us and they gave good advice. This program was a worthwhile experience for us
and you should do it again next year.
•The one to one talks with the older kids and younger kids, I really liked it and we
should do it again next year.
•We got to talk openly about anything we wanted to learn more about but sometimes.
We should have more days for the program.
•I would have liked to learn more about homework, school stuff, tests and study tips.
•I think that this was good for us. It helped us to cope better. We know that grade 9
isn’t so bad and we can deal with our problems.
•I really liked this program because it was fun and interesting. I think that everyone
got their questions answered and everyone feels a little more self-confident

P.EP Outline 2007

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P.EP Outline 2007