Peer counselling, an essentially Western innovation, was trialled in a boys' secondary school in Saudi Arabia over an academic year. Aims were to support individual pupils, improve the social environment and reduce loneliness. Impact was assessed using school records, interviews, questionnaires, standard psychological tests and focus groups. Although there was no change over the period in loneliness, there was significant positive change in two social provisions (guidance and reliable alliance), and a reduction in problems presented to the school counsellor. While teaching staff were unsupportive of the programme, clients valued the service and peer counsellors themselves profited through increased self-esteem. Copyright 1999 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents.