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Health & Wellness
Health Promotion

Peer Health Education

Creating a healthy campus culture.

The Office of Health Promotion offers a peer health education program for William & Mary students. Peer education is an approach where individuals with similar backgrounds or experiences help each other learn and grow. This method leverages relatability and trust to facilitate learning and behavior change. 

Learn more about W&M Peer Health Educators
What is a Peer Health Educator?

A peer health educator is a peer educator trained specifically to provide prevention education on health and wellness topics and awareness of healthy resources for W&M students. They engage students to gain support in creating a healthy campus culture. Being a peer health educator is a fantastic opportunity! It involves helping your peers understand and navigate various topics, often related to the eight dimensions of wellness (including subjects around sexual health, alcohol and other substances, sleep, and personal development, etc.) Peer health educators are involved in leading workshops, facilitating discussions, or passive programing like social media. The key skills peer health educators gain includes effective communication, empathy, and a solid understanding of the subject matter that they present.
Roles and Responsibilities 
  • Enroll and successfully complete the EDUC 350 Concepts in Collaborative Peer Health Advocacy course offered Spring semester, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-10:50.
  • Attend a two-hour planning/ training session each week.
  • Plan at least 2 wellness workshops each semester.
  • Design and disseminate health and wellness materials (social media posts, flyers, brochures) for social marketing health campaigns.
  • Participate in tabling for health awareness days.
  • Assist with the planning and implementation of campus-wide health and wellness events as needed.
  • Collaborate with student organizations to offer wellness programming/ activities for their student groups.
  • Commit at least 2 years to the program (unless you are accepted to join as a senior). 
Become a Peer Health Educator

Students interested in becoming a peer health educator must complete an online application, sit for an interview, and complete the required training. Students will enroll in the EDUC 350 Concepts in Collaborative Peer Health Advocacy course in the Spring semester. Upon successful completion of the course, students will become a Nationally Certified Peer Educator through NASPA. Students will receive periodic training in programming and presenting health and wellness topics. 

If you are interested in being a peer health education, complete the application here. Applications are accepted from October – December, February - May.
Benefits
  • Participation in leadership opportunities.
  • Gain personal and professional development, opportunities to attend professional conferences.
  • Become a Nationally Certified Peer Educator.
  • Participate in health advocacy and influence a healthy campus culture.
  • Collaborate with other student organizations and student support offices on campus.