A NIGHT OF PEER INFLUENCE... CHILD AND YOUTH CARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

It was to do with on-line, life-space development practice with young people. As a start I suggested the Life-space Interview (LSI), Positive Peer Pressure (PPP), Problem Solving, Problem Ownership, I messages ,the assertive communication style, Natural and Logical Consequences.

That night I didn't sleep well. Round and round in my head I relived incidents of peer influence, both negative and positive It probably started with the workshop opening. I said that what the child and youth care workers were doing was  group residential care - better - group residential development. It means that for the child and  youth care worker, the group, in itself, is a tool for development practice. In proceduralising Positive Peer Pressure (PPP), the difference between PPP and Peer Management had to be made. All this overstimulated neuronal energy......insomnia.

Someone once posted on social media, "I don't understand people  who, head on pillow, just fall asleep. Don't they have anything to think about?"

Came to mind arrival at St Goodenough and the programme's system. It was closer to Peer Management than perhaps I first realised. Three models, or systems of "care for boys" were used all at the same time. The private school model, the military model and the boy scout model. Boys managed boys by having Home Prefects, House Prefects, Platoon Leaders, Sargent Majors. Table Monitors, Dormitory Monitors.

When Masud Hoghughi stayed on a visit, he was unimpressed. "Where are the child and youth care workers?" he asked. "This is a formula for abuse. I want to see your Board Chairperson". He was right. Disturbed young people in that system were given authority to manage disturbed young people. "Where are the child and youth care workers?"

Group peer influence was hardly positive. Boys and Girls Town seemed to get it right. I couldn't.

In insomniac moments, moments were relived.

The mantra ...the repeated chorus was "This is the way we do it at St Goodenough". Child and youth care workers fell easily into the refrain.... the culture. "The boys have their own way of sorting things out"tBut the sorting out was hardly developmentally useful. It was the power of the group, but in this setting, it was negative. 

Long story short. Three boys were identified to the police having stolen petrol from the mini-bus and accidentally set fire to the rear of the mini-bust. It was in any case an insurance claim requirement. A very belligerent group delegation  "We don't do it like that at St Goodenough" The threats of assault were aimed at me. Interesting that the protection of the peers was put ahead of the convenience of their own means of transportation . It had nothing to do with the behaviour of the peers. It had everything to do with my response. The peer influence system was powerful enough to pressurise staff and attempt to pressurise the Director. The pattern of this type of incident was ongoing. 

Another image, another place another time.

Ten year old girl on a three story roof threatening to jump. Peer group at ground level chant "Jump ...Jump...Jump"

Then came the positive peer pressure images. Overtime, different setting , different facility culture. The anonymity of hiding in the crowd peer pressure thing changed dramatically when the same young people were shifted into small group residential settings. The child and youth care role become characteristically one of co-regulation and the orchestration of the group toward positive peer pressure.

The "We don't do it this way at St Goodenough "shifted 180 degrees to be supportive of the positive. The group was now fully a tool in itself toward more appropriate, more coping and more developmentally supportive.

In those  sleepless moments many events swirled Thinking back it all had to do with a deliberately designed and created culture. A designed environment if you like. Key words surfaced. Democratic, co-operative ,supportive, social equality. "We have to live together . We don't really have a choice so we have to make it work for all of us," It was not easy. The child and youth care worker was to, and did, call group meetings (called house meetings) at the drop of a hat. At first, unscheduled group discussions were very frequent, but became less and less frequent. Scheduled meetings were a standardised weekly procedure.

The"Ï feel...when you...because..." formula was found to be useful. This was usually the cue for the child and youth care worker to, what I called "orchestrate"the group. "How can we help each other to do this better?" Newcomers into the programme probably experienced the positive peer pressure the most.

Here's an image that surfaced that night.

What I call "food protests".  The "I don't like i, I wont eat it. It's not like my mother does it, It's not my culture"stories. The verbal protest is not the main issue. but the acting out in the group setting. Images surfaced of food throwing, plates overturned. into the mouth then spat out food, aggressive approaches to staff. "How can you eat this crap?" Quick, quick, group meeting.The group became quite good at exploring with the newcomer, and expressing their own, feelings, thoughts, content, alternative behaviours, support and feedback. Usually the group would kick off with "We don't do it like this at St Goodenough.

Those night time images confirmed:

Peer influence, is powerful. Positive Group Peer Pressure, especially, but not limited to, the more more intimate group residential settings is clearly a valuable if not an essential tool in our child and youth care work.