Peer Leaders: Humberside's Backbone

Roxy: What do you consider to be your role in the school?

Joey: I think our role in the school is to be a bridge in a sense - to help the grade nines integrate themselves into the Humberside community and find the role they play in making Humberside a better place. We are also their first new friends in high school! This is so important, especially for the kids who aren’t as experienced in making new friends; we’re here to help bring them out of their shells and show them that, despite the newness and pace of high school life, people do care about them.

Roxy: What made you want to be a peer leader?

Joey: I could give you a long answer about how I want to support people in a new stage in their lives and give them tips that I wish I knew when I was starting high school. But, if I’m being honest, it’s because I want to be the person who says hi to one of my grade nines in the hallway when that day feels particularly lonely and overwhelming. I want them to know that although my role may officially be their Peer Leader, I am their friend first.

Roxy: How has COVID-19 impacted your role in the school, and what did you do to solve the issue?

Joey: COVID-19 has definitely made it super hard to form personal connections with grade nine students in their first year of high school. And to be quite honest, we haven’t really found a solution. We’ve definitely found ways around that, but nothing beats sitting down with someone and having a face-to-face conversation to get to know them, right?

Roxy: Would you urge the new students to try out for peer leaders?

Joey: Definitely! Yes, yes, yes. For me, it helped me feel more fulfilled, knowing that I was helping other people.

Roxy: How would you help welcome the grade nines?

Joey: I’d say the most important thing is to give them a way to contact you outside of the Peer Leader Instagram. So many times, I wanted to ask a question to my Peer Leaders but was too intimidated by DMing the Instagram. Give them a way to contact you and reassure them that, as long as there isn’t a need to report it, what they say stays between the two of you.

Article by: Roxy Budin

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