One New York City Public School is Training Teens to Counsel Their Classmates.

HOST

In New York City public schools, there is approximately one social worker for every 1000 students. 

If that sounds like too many kids to watch. You’re right. 

Social workers say they are overwhelmed. 

But, a new afterschool program is trying to address the gap by training students to counsel each other. 

Reporter Tricia Stortz stopped by one of the Brooklyn middle schools hosting the program. 

STORTZ 1 

Six months ago, Principal Loren Cooper of PS 178 started something new. Rather than send every student showing signs of anxiety or depression to a guidance counselor…

She suggested some of them stay after school for a special mental health program.

LOREN COOPER 1

We look at our kids who we notice are struggling either academically socially or behaviorally. If they have already seen our guidance counselor or social worker, we generally don't recommend them. But for kids who are not getting any type of counseling services but are exhibiting behaviors, we usually recommend those students.

STORTZ 2

The after-school program is run by a non-profit organization called I’Raise Girls and Boys International. Here’s how it works. 

It offers activities like dance, basketball, visual arts, or reading and writing help. And while kids are engaged, the two social workers leading the program pull individual students aside to ask how they’ve been feeling and what’s been going on in their friend groups. 

COOPER 2

Some of our kids who are in the program are very empathetic towards some of their classmates who are going through trauma, who are going through things. They really do look out for each other and they support each other. 

STORTZ 3

That’s the point. I’RAISE’s intention is for the conversations with social workers to increase students' self-awareness around their own mental health struggles so they can be of better support to their friends. Hence, the “peer mentor” part of the program’s name. 

Shanequa Moore, the Founder of I’RAISE Girls and Boys,, says the students referred to the program are usually the ones already considered leaders or peer counselors among their classmates. 

SHANEQUA MOORE 1 

Typically, peers may come to them and say, “I'm going through this issue, or I'm going through this family challenge, or God forbid, I'm not feeling like I want to live anymore.” They talk to their peers before they talk to an adult, and they're not going to stop talking to peers. That’s never going to stop happening, right? So, what we wanted to do was train them to be peer wellness advocates.

STORTZ 4

Basically, these students become go-betweens. They tell social workers what's really happening with the students and then pass information in the other direction— sharing social-worker-type advice with their friends.

MOORE 2 

So they're essentially partners with the organization and with the school. They get training on who the social workers are, who's who in the school, and how to connect to the resources that can help them.

[AMBI- school sounds]

STORTZ 5

I spoke with an 8th grader who was referred to the program by one of her teachers. She told me a little about what it’s been like to meet with one of I’Raise’s social workers.

8TH GRADER 1

In the beginning, when she first came, I wasn't really comfortable with speaking with her cause I didn't know who she was. And, like, she just picked me up out of, like, randomly, so I wasn't sure what to say. 

STORTZ 6

But, she says, the silence between them didn’t last for long. 

8TH GRADER 2 

Once I got used to her… I opened up a little bit to her. We started speaking about… like anything… she just asked me questions, not just responding to whatever she asked me, but I got comfortable with her after a while.

STORTZ [IN TAPE] 7 

How does it feel in general to be navigating eighth grade?

8TH GRADER 3

Difficult. For one word I can say, I can say it's difficult, but it's like you end up pushing through it. With the help of the staff members, you can always push through it.

STORTZ 8 

Here’s an example of how the school pushed through a recent crisis with the help of the peer mentor program. Natasha Sakil is one of P.S. 178’s social workers.

NATASHA SAKIL 1

We had a student who recently lost someone. Of course, the school was notified, so we all knew about it. So, you know, US staff, we did check in when we could, but this student was more closed off to staff but more open to friends. So we would speak to their friends and say, "Make sure you check in on the student.” That’s the kind of peer mentoring we have. 

STORTZ 9

Sakil says that kind of peer support works for some, but can leave others feeling neglected. 

SAKIL 2 

When they come to school, they're supposed to have that safe space. You know, we have this to do. So they only really have their friends, and it's really hard for those who may not have those relationships. Um, and those may be the ones who fall through the cracks. 

STORTZ 10

Sakil wishes she could be present for every student with issues, especially those lacking peer support. But there are just too many for her to realistically treat. 

It may not even be her role to treat the mental health of every student, according to licensed therapist Annalee Sweet, who specializes in treating adolescents and has no connection to the school.

ANNALEE SWEET 1

If you’re the school social worker… their caseloads are insane… ya’know kids are gonna fall through the cracks. They’ve gotta just triage them. 

STORTZ 11

But Sweet questions whether it makes sense to put that responsibility on kids’ shoulders. 

SWEET 2

I think it's a huge burden. Not only are they so stressed out and impacted by what's going on with their peers, but those peers, because of their own mental health struggles, trauma, or family issues, can't really function as supportive, secure attachments and friends.

STORTZ 12

Sweet says peer support programs can be beneficial as long as they are structured and heavily facilitated by adults and not used as a substitute for professional treatment. 

SWEET 3

There's something really powerful and necessary about that horizontal connection between peers helping each other with a particular issue. I do think that that is something that could be tapped into and really utilized to help these kids. But I think it requires quite a bit of structure and facilitation. 

STORTZ 13

The partnership between P.S. 178 and I’RAISE Girls and Boys International aims to do just that with its afterschool program. Although, Principal Cooper says it’s not the ideal solution. 

COOPER 3 

I think it would be wonderful if the city and the state provided us with more social workers and more guidance counselors so that we could really meet the needs of our kids. But in the absence of that, unfortunately organizations like I’RAISE do fill the gap in a way that is much needed.

STORTZ 14  

The I’RAISE after-school program has been implemented in 12 schools so far. The program has received a grant set to triple that number over the coming year. 

Tricia Stortz, Columbia Radio News.