Douglas Ewart High School, Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galloway is the 1st school in Scotland and the UK to gain the award achieved through youngsters taking control to provide support of mental health issues during the Covid-19 crisis.
It all came about through S4, S5 & S6 students being trained in the Peace Advocate Project skills created and directed by United Nations/Rotary Champion of Peace Jean Best alongside teacher Mrs Kirsteen Hogg.
Peace Advocate status is achieved through interactive training sessions, giving strategies and skills to empower young people to take control of their lives.
They investigate why conflict occurs in themselves, homes, schools, communities and globally.
Peace Advocates create community service projects, organize conferences and facilitate those who follow, thus creating a programme for young people led by young people.
Their first project to create a Peace Garden for the community went through several consultation stages but was ultimately delayed by Covid-19 when they turned their attention to supporting the mental health of their school community during lockdown.
Using social media and daily hints and tips on their Instagram they created over 60 daily hints and tips that have become the basis of a school curriculum to be led by Advanced Peace Advocates during the new academic year. (Ref. Instagram peace__project (double underscore).
The final achievement criteria for the award is to train others to become Peace Advocates to ensure the sustainability and continuity of skills that build the future leaders of the 21st Century. Not only was this completed in school but was delivered online to young people in Japan, Spain and England
Headteacher Mr. Webb received the current Advanced Peace Advocates and those that are soon to enter the world of work or further their educational studies on Thursday 3rd September. Also present was the UN Champion of Peace Jean Best and her husband Keith who started the school project in 2015.
