VOLUNTEERING as a Peer Health Educator (PHE)
The Wellness Center is dedicated to promoting and delivering health promotion awareness events and activities. In order to most effectively reach the AU community, we've created the volunteer position of AU Volunteer Peer Health Educator Program. Peer Health Educators (PHEs) are a diverse group of AU students interested in proactively addressing health and wellness issues on campus and trained to educate their classmates about college lifestyle and wellness issues in a positive, interactive, fun, and nonjudgmental manner.
Led by the Peer Health Educator Team Leaders, the PHEs are central to the mission of the Wellness Center health education outreach efforts and integral to the development and implementation of those efforts. We welcome students with interest in all health topics who wish to have a positive impact on the health and well-being of the AU community.
What is the mission of the AU Volunteer Peer Health Education Program?
The mission of the Peer Health Education (PHE) Program is to assist the Wellness Center in providing an effective peer network to encourage, support, and advance a healthy lifestyle for the AU community. As a PHE you will have the unique opportunity to learn the most current information on a variety of health related topics including sexual health, eating disorders/body image, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, as well as general wellness. The Peer Health Educators are dedicated to providing education and community support with sensitivity to race, gender, sexual orientation, culture, religion, and individual capabilities.
Why would I want to become a Peer Health Educator?
Serving as a Peer Health Educator, you would benefit by:
- Being a part of an excellent educational and leadership experience
- Becoming part of a dynamic community of students with similar interests
- Develop teaching, communication, presentation, and group facilitation skills. In addition, PHEs market their programs and design promotional materials.
- Gain extensive knowledge about behavior change theories and current health topics that improve your own decision-making and knowledge base, as well as benefit your peers as you share this information in your everyday life.
- Becoming better familiarized health and wellness campus resources, develop relationships with staff, campus leaders, as well as serve as liaisons between the Wellness Center and the AU student body.
- Receiving updates on health issues on campus, upcoming programs, collaborative opportunities, etc.
- Have an opportunity to contribute significantly to the growth of the Peer Health Education program.
Being a Peer Health Educator will require a substantial commitment of time and energy (an average of 3 hours per week). As a PHE, your volunteer duties would include:
- Attending any required trainings on college health topics and prevention methodologies; attending optional trainings as interest and time allows
- Attending weekly planning meetings in order to get involved with current activities or initiate new efforts
- Develop, participate in and promote collaborative educational projects with other departments and student groups
- Facilitate interactive presentations, discussions, panels, workshops, and health awareness events for AU students
- Serving as a visible health resource and referral source to your peers on a daily basis
- Informing AU of your concerns, perceived health issues on campus, student opinion, and areas in health education that need to be addressed
Training Requirements
You must participate in an initial and advanced training weekend. These will be offered twice per academic year, usually at the start of the fall and spring semesters. If training has already occurred for the current year, your application will be retained for involvement the following year. Additionally, in order to maintain your status, you must actively participate in the group and strive to attend optional trainings offered during the year. The specifics of these expectations are covered during training.
Other training opportunities will be offered on an ongoing basis. These may be mandatory or optional, but each offers the chance to expand your knowledge and skills relevant to your work as a Peer Health Educator.
How can I become a Peer Health Educator?
We are currently recruiting for Academic Year 2013-2014. The application must be submitted by 5pm on Monday, March 25th, 2013, and interviews will be conducted within 1-2 weeks of the deadline. For more information about the recruitment process for the PHE program, please contact Anna Adams at aadams@american.edu or 202-885-3384.
Apply to be a Peer Health Educator
Resources for Groups
Requesting a Program
Programs presented by the PHEs are informative, yet fun and interactive. These programs are designed to focus on health topics that affect college students in their academic and social lives. The information presented in the programs is factual and honest and presented by students who know what it means to be a college student today. Some programs are more appropriate for academic settings, such as in a classroom. Please make sure to read the descriptions fully before deciding which program suits your needs best. If you have any questions about a program, feel free to call Anna Adams at 202-885-3384.
How to Request a Program
All programs conducted by the Peer Health Educators must be requested using the online request form. Please note that this form must be submitted at least two weeks before the desired program date.