Peer Health Education Program
What is a Peer Health Educator?
Peer Health Educators are student leaders who are recruited and trained to:
- provide the UMass Dartmouth student community with educational, interactive programs on health issues
(Click here to learn more about the Peer Health Educators' workshops.) - raise awareness about health and wellness
- refer students to appropriate resources
- advocate for policy, procedural, and environmental changes that support the health and well-being of the campus community
Meet the Peer Health Educators!
What is involved? What is the time commitment?
Candidates selected to become Peer Health Educators are required to complete a 3-credit internship during which training is provided. Following completion of the internship, students are asked for a minimum one-year commitment to the program.
Peer Health Educators are required to attend weekly staff meetings (2 hrs./week), present outreach programs (4+ per semester), and participate in the planning and implementation of health awareness events such as the Great American Smokeout, World AIDS Day, etc. (approx. 1-2 per month).
Peer Health Educators are also required to participate in continuing education opportunities, as identified/assigned. Each spring, the Peer Health Educators attend the Area 10 Regional Conference for the Bacchus Network where they attend workshops, learn about peer programs at other New England colleges and universities, and meet fellow Peer Health Educators. (All UMass Dartmouth Peer Health Educators also become Certified Peer Educators by the Bacchus Network through training received during the internship.)
How do I become a Peer Health Educator?
Students interested in becoming Peer Health Educators must complete an application. Contact Beth-Anne Vieira, Coordinator of Health Education and Promotion, at 508.910.6965 or bvieira@umassd.edu for an application.
Students may complete an application at any time. However, applications are reviewed and applicants are interviewed once a semester.
Notes on eligibility:
- Seniors are not eligible to apply because there is a minimum one-year commitment following the internship/training experience.
- Juniors are only eligible to apply in the fall semester of their junior year.
- First-year students are eligible to apply; however, they must wait until their sophomore year to participate in the internship per UMD policy. (Go here for UMD’s policies regarding internships: http://www.umassd.edu/crc/internships/policy.cfm)
Are Peer Health Educators paid?
Peer Health Educators who meet performance expectations receive a $550 stipend at the conclusion of each semester. (Students do not receive a stipend while in training, i.e. while enrolled in the internship.) Failure to meet performance expectations may result in a withholding of the stipend and/or termination from the Peer Health Education program.
Are there other benefits to being a Peer Health Educator?
Yes! As a Peer Health Educator, you will:
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Be recognized as a student leader and positive role model
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Develop skills in organization, presentation, communication, and group facilitation
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Gain experience for professional development and/or graduate school (It looks great on a resume!)
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Become a certified peer educator with national recognition
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Gain extensive knowledge regarding health issues
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Meet, help, and serve others
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Be a part of a skilled leadership team
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Make new friends
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Travel (to attend the Bacchus Network's Area 10 Spring Conference)
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HAVE FUN!
Last Updated On: 10/15/07
