What is Peer Education?

Peer: a person of approximately the same age and coming from a similar social group

Peer Education: well-trained and motivated young people developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs of other young people through educational activities

Peer education is not a new invention. In fact, it can be traced back to ancient Greece! In the 1960s a new interest developed around using peer education as a way of teaching, particularly around health and lifestyle issues.

Who Are Peer Educators?

There is no person specification really, and the effectiveness of a peer educator cannot be measured in terms of academic ability or qualifications.

Our peer educators have different experiences and backgrounds, and bring different things to the classroom. The characteristics they have in common include:

• motivation
• enthusiasm
• personal experience of homelessness
• commitment
• a willingness to learn new skills
• ability to communicate and to listen to others

Our peer educators are trained in both the theoretical and practical aspects of peer education. The training programme offers young people a nationally recognised qualification (NOCN), as well as a real opportunity for personal development, confidence building and teamwork skills.

Interested in becoming a peer educator?

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