BACCHUS Supports Advisors to Peer Education Groups

The campus professionals who work as peer education group advisors come from varied professional backgrounds, usually in student affairs or public health fields.  Advising peer education groups is a unique opportunity for advisors who must draw from a variety of disciplines and resources to assist the organization members and to accomplish the campus’ mission and goals in achieving increased student health and safety awareness.

Peer education advisors must have knowledge in student and organization development, be current on health issues and effective strategies, and successfully promote the efforts of the group to the campus and community in prevention efforts.
For some, the advisor role is part of one’s job responsibilities on campus. For others, they volunteer their time to work with the students on prevention issues. BACCHUS supports all types of advisors, with varying levels of experience in their advising role to:

• Understand current health and safety strategies in the prevention field
• Develop the skill set needed to advise peer educators
• Develop year-round prevention programming that engages students
• Create mutually supportive networks among advisors
• Promote peer education efforts on campus and in the community
• Build a strong, sustainable peer education program
• Identify educational and programming resources to increase effectiveness

Through webinars, trainings, conference educational sessions, and networking, advisors can explore the successes and challenges of the advising role and discuss important topics related to peer education and health issues.  Advisors are provided with information and tools to guide students in creating smart health and safety initiatives.  These are some of the benefits to advisors in our network:

• Professional development opportunity as a regional/national leader
• Credit for conference attendance for CHES or participation credits for general credentialing use
• Access to technical assistance and advice from national staff and regional leaders
• Data on the peer education experience of your students through the National Peer Educator Study
• Health campaign information that identifies student learning outcomes achieved through conducting programs
• Training programs such as Certified Peer Educator, Alcohol Poisoning, Screening and Brief Intervention, Bystander Intervention, and Tobacco Policy and Cessation, all at discounted rates
• Discounted rates on all educational resource materials and promotional items in the BACCHUS Store
• Latest health and leadership updates through The Peer Educator™, Area Newsletters, and Monthly E-News from the national office
• Opportunity for your campus efforts to be recognized through awards or featured articles in publications