Wolfe has been lucky to work with the non-profit, the Social and Emotional Leadership Foundation, to develop peer leadership skills among our students in the older grades to create a more positive and cohesive school community.  These young leaders helped enhance the feeling of inclusion and safety among all our students, and demonstrated the learning skills which supported them as leaders as  they transitioned  through elementary and into secondary school. The involvement of older peer mentors in friendship groups effectively modelled and encouraged positive friendship skills in younger students, while peer leaders on the playground worked to teach younger children healthy and fun ways to play together.  

We continue to work with the Social and Emotional Leadership Foundation as we value their expertise, professionalism, sense of fun and ability to integrate seamlessly into our school,  making them a pleasure to work with as partners.

~ Susan Nichols, Principal
General Wolfe Elementary School

Our Approach

The Social and Emotional Leadership Foundation (SELF) provides innovative, customized programming to train peer leaders in social and emotional leadership skills. Our programs teach students authentic and effective techniques to engage with younger students who may have experienced isolation or who exhibit unhealthy relationship patterns at school. SELF’s programs promote unique, peer-based experiential activities and roles including peer leader, playground helper and friendship group facilitator. Our approach supports an entire shift in school culture by reversing isolation, modelling healthy social-emotional relationship skills, and creating vibrant, safe and cohesive school communities for all.

SELF’s programming is based on building on existing programs and leveraging the efforts of trained peer leaders:

• We operate within each school to expand capacity. We leverage existing programs by training teachers and older peers to be mentors and models of healthy relationships for younger and more vulnerable students.
• Our programs create a stable infrastructure around peer leadership, allowing leadership activities to continue and grow, unimpeded by possible changes in staff and administration.
• Where schools already offer social-emotional skills training, rather than developing a new model, our approach supports the existing social and emotional learning programs of the school.

SELF will draw upon interns from the Haven's Youth Leadership Program  http://www.haven.ca/program/haven-training-programs#training_youth, as well as the feeder schools between elementary, middle and high schools.