"The people that came and informed us are great"
"Keep doin' what you're doin' cuz you're doin' it right!" |
Peer Educator Trainings
The Center for Youth has conducted a wide range of leadership trainings for Peer Educators over the past eleven years. Our trainings are designed with groups of young people and based on key youth development principles.
The peer educators benefit tremendously from youth development principles that involve
developing caring relationships with adults, mentoring others and providing support to peers in situations they understand through their own life experiences. The confidence gained in new leadership skills, giving back to others, and practicing responsibility as peer resources has instilled great resiliency and a positive view for the future among these young people.
The trainings are conducted by an inter-generational group of The Center's educators who create an open and supportive environment and reinforce a strong sense of teamwork among the trainers and youth.
Our Peer Educator trainings focus on one or more of the areas described in
"Our Programs": HIV Education, Substance Abuse Prevention, Accessing Health Care and Voices, our diversity education program.
Youth in our Peer Educator trainings gain the following:
- Self confidence
- Leadership and career skills
- Knowledge in specific health areas
- Communication and group facilitation and skills
- Skills to conduct interactive educational sessions
- Resourcefulness in accessing information & specialists in the community
- Practice in developing educational activities
- Understanding and respect for differences
Following the training and practice sessions, Peer Educators co-conduct educational sessions for youth in schools, summer school classes or community settings. The Center's young adult educators mentor and support them throughout the entire process.
Interviews with Peer Educators confirmed their experience has successfully:
- Empowered and inspired them to give back to others;
- Provided knowledge, skills and support to help them make healthier life choices and practice risk reduction behaviors;
- Enhanced their communication with peers, partners and parents; and
- Inspired them to help their peers, families and communities by educating, supporting and providing resources
Experienced Peer Educators work with The Center for Youth throughout the year at their own high schools, and several have graduated and joined our staff, many of whom started as peer educators themselves.
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