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| A Project of Long Island Crisis Center |
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| Home Services Events HIV Education Peer Education Coffeehouse Fun Stuff |
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| Further, Peer Educators get paid to go through the training, attend meetings, and conduct educational programs. If you are interested in applying to be a peer educator, first ask yourself the following questions: Am I available to participate in training during August? Am I available Tuesday evenings throughout the year? Am I between the ages of 16 and 20? (those turning 16 in September can apply too!) Do I like to learn new things and teach things to others? Am I committed to helping other LGBT youth stay safe and healthy? If you answered yes to all of the above...contact Jessica Pignataro: (516) 679-9000, ext. 123, to set up an interview. |
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| Every summer, Pride for Youth trains LGBTQ youth to educate their peers about HIV and other health problems. Peer educators are selected based on their ability to speak to groups of teenagers, willingness to perform educational theater, and commitment to preventing HIV and helping other LGBTQ teens. Peer educators must complete a three week training, generally in the month of August on weekday evenings. In this training, they learn about HIV/AIDS, homophobia, sexuality, drugs and alcohol, sexual decision-making, suicide, and many other health topics. To complete the training, all peer educators must conduct an oral presentation on one of the topics covered. |
| Once training is completed, peer educators meet weekly to develop and practice health education programs. For example, they perform monthly skits at the Coffeehouse that teach the audience about HIV, safer sex, and other problems facing LGBTQ youth. Peer educators also participate in youth conferences where they educate the general population about homophobia. Throughout the year, the publish editions of Queer Beans, PFY's youth-authored 'zine. Being a Peer Educator has many benefits. Some of those cited by former peer educators include: *"learning more about myself and more about the LGBT community" *"I've learned to be more responsible for my own actions" *"Being part of the peer educator group has really helped me grow as a person." *"I've made some of my best friends through being part of this group" |
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