By John Naldrett, CEO Calm Mediation
It was a delight to host a conversation on Restorative Results at Calm Connect 2025, featuring Andrew Phillips, Housing Manager at Riverside Housing, and Kezia Herzog, teacher at Exning Primary School and former Peer Mediator at Bacon’s College.
There are many ways to talk about results as a mediation organisation and how they demonstrate value. While statistics can be persuasive, what often resonates more deeply are the human stories — the narratives that show real impact on people’s lives. That was the focus of our discussion.
Andrew Phillips spoke passionately about how he uses his mediation qualification to promote listening and empathy among staff and residents dealing with conflict. He reflected on how this restorative approach often achieves better outcomes than enforcement-based responses, and he emphasised that such approaches are urgently needed in a world that is becoming less tolerant. Andrew also shared the positive results he sees when referring cases to Calm and praised the positive outcomes achieved.
“I loved the whole event from start to finish. I thought it was a brilliant way to present the speakers. The Question and answer sessions really were the best. Made me sit and listen from start to finish. I love listening and learning and thought it was great to hear from so many people who are all so passionate about what they do.” – Andrew
Kezia Herzog, who first worked with Mel Bruce and Dave Walker as a student mediator in the pioneering Peer Mediation project at Bacon’s College, has since gone on to establish her own Peer Mediation programme at Exning Primary School, where she now teaches.
Kezia’s enthusiasm for mediation and the holistic development of young people really shone through. She described remarkable improvements in the confidence of the children involved and shared the story of how they had independently created their own “mediation hut” in the playground.
We also explored the importance of the ‘Train and Sustain’ model, which ensures that student Peer Mediators receive ongoing supervision and manage real conflict within the school setting. This approach not only benefits the mediators themselves but also helps shape a more empathetic and collaborative culture across the entire school.
