Students learn and participate in techniques of conflict management and become agents of change by taking skills, such as effective decision making, communication, and problem solving, into the classroom and the community.  With adult guidance, young people use these skills in their daily lives and provide assistance to others.

WAVE students are trained as conflict managers and mediators. The two main conflict resolution processes used by WAVE are a formal mediation model and a less formal process for use on the playground, cafeteria, or in the classroom. Under an additional "student trainer" model, the students teach lessons and lead training activities involving other students in the building.