The peer education teams within the Office of Health Promotion (OHP) are accepting applications for 2019-20 peer educator positions. All students are encouraged to apply, especially those with a passion for health and wellness. The deadline to apply is March 18.
Peer educators work with OHP to provide health education to their peers through interactive programs, tabling and outreach events. Signature programs that peer educators assist with are Health Hubs, awareness events and workshops.
“Becoming a peer educator has been one of the greatest experiences for me,” says Ariana Zapata ’20, a BeWise peer educator and student in the David B. Falk College of Sport & Human Dynamics. “Not only have I been able to educate myself on topics like alcohol, mental health and sexual health, I’ve been able to share this with my peers and community to promote awareness. This position has also pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me with my leadership skills, something I am extremely grateful for.”
There are three different peer education teams with different focus areas: Be Wise Peer Educators, Peer Educators Encouraging Healthy Relationships and Sexuality (PEEHRS) and Students Advocating for Mental Health Empowerment (SAMHE).
Be Wise Peer Educators focus on educating and empowering students to make informed choices and decisions regarding the use of alcohol and other substances. This peer education team is committed to making a difference on campus through nonjudgmental dialogue and sharing information regarding alcohol and other substances.
PEEHRS focus on consent, healthy relationships, prosocial bystander intervention and sexual health. This peer education team is trained to create safer spaces on campus for dialogue regarding how to respond to abuse or harassment, how to intervene with peers who are perpetuating rape culture and how to support others.
SAMHEs focus on all things mental health related. This peer education team is trained to provide outreach and educational programming about mental wellness including stress reduction, sleep health, time management and resiliency.
For more information or questions visit the Office of Health Promotion website or email healthpromotion@syr.edu.
