Table 1 Description of STASH Intervention
The STASH intervention: | |
|---|---|
(1) Peer nomination. All students in fourth year of secondary school (aged 14–16) asked to complete a peer nomination questionnaire, comprising 4 questions. A unique combination of questions is used in each school; two from the original three questions used in the ASSIST trial (who do you respect, who make good leaders, who do you look up to) and two drawn from four new questions designed for STASH (with whom do you feel comfortable talking about something personal, whose opinion do you trust, who is good at persuading others, who is confident at talking to people outside their friendship group). Top 25% of young people receiving most nominations, stratified by gender, invited to recruitment meeting. | |
(2) Peer Supporter (PS) recruitment meeting. Trainers introduce STASHÂ to the nominees, explain the PS role, and address questions. Aim is to recruit 15% of year group. | |
(3) Two-day PS training in school time, at external venue. PS trained in knowledge, skills, confidence required for role. The training seeks to build motivation, enthusiasm, generate trust and rapport within PS group and between PS and trainers. PS sign a code of conduct agreement on completion of training, and agree plan to ‘announce’ the project to year group. | |
(4) Peer support work. (a) PS establish ‘secret’ Facebook group (invite-only groups; highest privacy setting), comprising friends and STASH trainer. They post messages from the STASH website to this group and initiate face-to-face conversations centred on STASH messages. They alert friends to the STASH website and local support sources. PS are supported by a trainer and contact teacher. PS are encouraged to engage with STASH resources flexibly: for instance, in choosing which messages and links to share and editing messages into their own words if desired. (b) The trainers moderate group discussions, monitor Facebook posts, support the PS and facilitate follow-up meetings (weekly or fortnightly) with all PS. | |
(5) Acknowledgment of PS efforts. Certificates, £10 voucher, ‘credit’ toward volunteering award. |