Peer Education

pictures of peer educatorsPeer Education supports UNH’s academic mission by providing students with opportunities to design and implement health promotion activities – for peers by peers – on campus. Peer education helps students make lifestyle choices that support academic success and enhance personal wellness.

At UNH, peer educators help implement:

  • Educational programs for classrooms, residence halls and student organizations
  • Special events such as Eating Concerns Awareness Week, Body Positivity Week,  Fresh Check Day, Fierce & Fabulous Women’s Expo and National Nutrition Month Expo
  • Outreach activities at homecoming, concerts and other campus events
  • Educational tables around campus
  • Social media and social marketing campaigns
  • Peer-to-peer mentoring

Be a Peer Educator

All UNH students who have an interest in wellness and helping others are eligible to become a Health & Wellness peer educator. Peer educators are supervised by Wellness Educator/Counselors and/or a Nutrition Educator/Counselor.

We offer three unique peer education groups:

  • Wellness Ambassadors 
    Provide educational programming and outreach about the eight dimensions of the Health & Wellness Wellness Wheel. 
  • Nourish UNH
    Provide educational programming and outreach about eating well. 
  • Eating Concerns Mentors (ECMs)
    Provide confidential peer-to-peer support and information about body image, eating concerns and eating disorders. 

Training

Students who are selected to be Health & Wellness peer educator are required to complete iLEAP, a certified Peer Educator Training.   At the end of the training, participants will be certified as a peer educator and have enhanced skills and knowledge to implement health promotion campaigns to peers at UNH.

Peer educators gain skills in:

  • Development, implementation, and assessment of health promotion practices
  • Oral communication skills, including group facilitation and public speaking
  • Interpersonal skills based on compassion and empathy for helping others
  • Creative problem-solving strategies, including helping peers understand behavior change and developing attainable action plans
  • Leadership skills, including helping other peer educators stay motivated to meet the program’s goals
  • Culturally competent programming and outreach
  • Creating community change through education, support, and advocacy
  • Marketing and communications skills, including social media and social marketing

Peer educators gain expertise in the Health & Wellness Wellness Wheel:

  • Emotional wellness
  • Social wellness
  • Physical wellness
  • Spiritual wellness
  • Environmental wellness
  • Occupational wellness
  • Intellectual wellness
  • Financial wellness

Benefits

  • Certification as a UNH Peer Educator
  • Skills to build your resume
  • Opportunities to network with variety of professionals and students
  • Become a part of the Health & Wellness team
  • Knowledge to enhance your own personal health and wellness
  • Opportunities to be creative and have FUN!

Expectations

  • Commit to being a UNH Peer Educator for 4 semesters (i.e., fall 2018, spring 2019, fall 20119, spring 2020)
  • Complete the Certified Peer Education Training
  • Work collaboratively with Health & Wellness staff and other peer education groups
  • Signed agreement to be a part of the Health & Wellness team
  • Weekly time commitment (approximately 3 hrs/week)
    • Weekly meeting (1 hr/week)
    • Participation on sub-committee (1 hr/week)
    • Implementation of health promotion activities (1 hr/week)
  • Monthly time commitment
    • Monthly training on health-specific topics (1 hr/month)
    • Attend Health & Wellness events as a peer educator (1/month)

Apply