Teacher Dargine Rajeswaran saw the benefits of Game Changers for troubled youth
"As a teacher who became supportive of one party that was involved in conflict, I was concerned how mediation would go and the lasting impact. When my student’s parent was unavailable to participate in mediation, the student requested that I join and I’m so grateful that I did.
“(Game Changers staff and the peer mediator) were so comfortable in the tense space at the beginning, which allowed the parties to feel more at ease. The process was smooth and allowed each party to feel heard individually before moving into the real mediation between parties. I was also able to build a relationship with the other party - it was clear that there were no “sides” in the space.
“What arose out of this mediation was sincere and so much deeper than I imagined. Through authentic apologies and boundary creating, these students actually went from a violent assault and moved into becoming friendly with one another. The conflict was truly resolved. I was able to see both students flourish within the school again. The mediation had me holding back tears!
“I appreciate the work done by this team. By participating in Game Changers, our students learned not only how to apologize and forgive but also how to manage conflict effectively and how to communicate, even in tense situations.”