Peer Collaboration Conference (PCC)

Peer Collaboration Conferences (PCCs) foster a community of communication and connection and provide the program staff with valuable insight into the group’s progress and needs. The purpose of the PCC is to bring peers with and without disabilities together for celebrations of success and collaboration towards positive change.

PCCs can provide the time needed to connect with students for celebrations, learning opportunities, and discussions that strengthen mutual understanding and friendships. Students will have the opportunity to develop leadership, advocacy, and self-determination skills while moving the school culture to a higher level of inclusivity.

Design Considerations

• All Peer to Peer participants (focus students and peer partners) participate. Attendance can look different across Peer to Peer programs - the key is that the focus student is not excluded and all students have the opportunity to participate and become leaders in their peer to peer programs.

• Some programs bring all P2P participants together at one time, while other programs schedule groups during the hours/time periods that peer partnerships are occurring.

• Participants gather for 30-40 minutes. (If you have 20-30 minutes available do not let this ideal suggestion be a barrier. Maximize the time you have by adjusting the time frames below accordingly.)

• Fun is a must.

• Use a whiteboard as a visual support to help increase participation and understanding for all peers.

• Time is spent in 3 sections:

  1. Positives (5 minutes): Staff and students provide genuine and authentic praise, student celebrations, positives, or shout outs. Also use this time for general announcements about activities that might be coming up (e.g., Lego groups, football games, invitations for extracurricular activities, after school or weekend activities, etc.).

  2. Collaboration (20 minutes): This is the time for the team to build rapport (especially with new friendships developing), collaborate, network, and strengthen connections. Be flexible and utilize this time to support your program and students’ needs.

     • • Explore one or more of the Guided Questions in the document below.

         • PCC Guiding Questions

       • Use a Medium of Exchange activity and have fun.

       • Teach or have students lead a lesson on neurodiversity

       • Plan an event or discuss ways to make a standing event more inclusive.

       • Organize support for upcoming school events.

         • Using a PCC to Organize Support for School Events

  3. Closing (approximately 5 minutes): Discuss next steps, use an exit ticket, create an action plan, remind students of activities, etc.

Scheduling PCCs

Classroom, building, and staff schedules vary from team to team so scheduling PCCs should be flexible. Students who participate in Peer to Peer have reported that they enjoy having the opportunity to engage in activities outside the classroom so consider seeking their input regarding scheduling

• We encourage teams to facilitate PCCs 4-6 times a school year.

• PCCs can be held during lunch or at a time of day that is flexible for staff and students.

• Some programs bring all P2P participants together at one time, while other programs schedule groups during the hours/time periods that peer partnerships are occurring.

• PCCs schedules can be planned ahead and mapped out at daily, monthly, or yearly levels.

  • Monthly PCCs may be rotated with other curriculum or medium of exchange opportunities.

  • Example:

    • LINKS Schedule - Year at a Glance