Peer Training

Health People’s Peer Training is designed to give people with limited education and work experience the skills to succeed and to successfully deliver community health solutions. One of the nation’s oldest and most respected programs of its kind, Health People’s Peer Training program has attracted health officials from five continents, as well as from all over the U.S., to our South Bronx offices to learn more about starting peer programs in their own communities.

Program Details:

Health People’s Peer Educators must complete a rigorous 8- to 10-week training program, followed by a 6-month internship. During that time, time they are responsible for two or more educational activities per week, including:

• Teaching workshop courses in AIDS, asthma, diabetes self-care and/or tobacco cessation
• Conducting prevention outreaches
• Making referrals to testing and care for HIV, Hep C, STD, mental health and/or substance abuse
• Community-based outreach and advocacy

Peers also participate in an ongoing, weekly support group to discuss what they are learning and the personal challenges they face.

Our peer educators are directly representative of their community and they reach, teach and inspire others to fight for better health.

Many of our peers are on public assistance, on parole, in drug recovery programs, or have a chronic illness such as asthma, diabetes and/or are AIDS.

After the six-month internship, many peer educators secure full-time jobs. Others continue their dedicated mission as peer educators. Many are inspired to go back to school to complete their education. Three-quarters of Health People’s program staff began as peer educators.