Download this fact sheet: What is peer education? [PDF: 429 KB]
Number 4.10 March 2006
for young people
Introduction
Peer education is a way for young people to educate other young people about the problems caused by alcohol and other drug use. Young people who have difficult relationships with their parents and other adults may be more open to information delivered by a person to whom they can relate. Peer education involves a specially trained young person communicating with other members of their peer group in order to encourage a change in behaviour or improve their knowledge about certain issues.
This fact sheet explains what peer education is and outlines the benefits of peer education.
What is peer education?
Peer education means learning from your peers (friends or others in your group). It is about young people sharing information with other young people.
Who is a peer?
Peers share one or more of the following features:
- similar age
- shared characteristics (for example, gender, culture)
- similarities in experience
- membership of the same group.
What is a peer educator?
A peer educator is a young person who is:
- considered a peer by other young people
- is credible and influential with young people
- has received peer educator training.
What are the aims of peer education?
The aim of peer drug education programs is to:
- improve knowledge about the effects of alcohol and other drug use
- change attitudes, values and beliefs about alcohol and drug use
- improve skills for dealing with other drug issues
- change alcohol and other drug use.
The difference between peer education and other types of drug education
Peer education can be similar to other types of drug education, including school drug education, but differs in the following ways:
- Peer education is more likely to be spontaneous and delivered in isolated chunks instead of as part of a school curriculum.
- Peer education is more likely to occur in places where young people hang out.
- Peer educators are not experienced mental health or educational professionals but they usually receive some training about alcohol and other drug issues.
Where does peer education occur?
Peer education is more flexible than classroom-based education. Peer education for young people may occur in:
- schools
- community centres
- clubs
- events
- other places where young people meet.
Does peer education work?
It is not always easy to know the effects of a particular peer education program, because the effects may not be immediate. Sometimes it can take a while for information to sink in and cause people to change their behaviour. Some peer education studies have found that young people are more likely to be influenced by other young people, rather than teachers or parents. Young people seem to prefer health education to be delivered by peers. This may be because peer education is interactive rather than the typical teacher-student process.
Why become a peer educator?
Involvement in peer education has benefits for the peer educators themselves. Among the specific benefits are:
- heightened self-esteem
- increased self-confidence
- improved communication skills
- increased knowledge and skills
- improved work prospects
- changes in behaviour.
However, peer educators do experience some difficulties, such as:
- concerns about the need to become an expert source of information
- lack of ongoing support
- little or no payment
- conflict with other sources of information or control
- difficulties in controlling other young people
- problems in dealing with personal questions about their own experiences
- being undermined by the teacher in the case of school-based presentations
- constraints on the message they are allowed to deliver and a lack of trust from other young people.
Case study
Western Sydney Drug and Alcohol Resource Centre's Throne Project is a peer education program targeting alcohol and other drug use in young women. The program came about after community service providers consulted young people in the Blue Mountains area in New South Wales.
The project included the following steps:
- A group of young women was recruited and trained as peer educators/supporters.
- These young women attended weekly meetings and workshops.
- They took part in a three-day training camp.
- The young women delivered educational workshops and forums throughout the Blue Mountains to young women aged between 12 and 17.
- The dissemination and collection of information was done through information stalls, pamphlets, youth week activities and surveys.
- A magazine designed for and by young women was produced and distributed throughout the Blue Mountains area.
Comments from peer educators
Name: Chrissie
Age: 17
Why did you get involved in Throne?
"What can I say, I've seen it, I've done it and now that I'm almost legal to do it — I'm over it. Hey, I still do drink alcohol but I avoid situations that may endanger me or make me uncomfortable. When I see all the little youngens running around acting like 'king shit', I get embarrassed — thinking when I was 13 that was me and I was that pathetic"
Name: Kristy
Age: 18
Why did you get involved in Throne?
"Why did I become a part of this project? Because I see kids now that remind me exactly of the way I was than I was at their age. I was invincible, well at least I though I was — until I started seeing that drinking makes you vulnerable to rape, accidents and incidents. Sure drinking can be great fun but I hope this magazine can promote how to do it safely without ending up in the shit."
Name: Amy
Age: 16
Why did you get involved in Throne?
"I was another one of the peer supporters who was in the long line for the free pizza when the project began. But even when the pizza budget ran out, I stayed. By then, the project had become fun, even cool — and then even I started learning stuff. I enjoy the group and knowing stuff I didn't know before."
More information
For more information on drugs and drug prevention contact the DrugInfo Clearinghouse on tel. 1300 85 85 84, email druginfo@adf.org.au.
Acknowledgement
The information about WESDARC'S Throne project was reproduced with permission from WESDARC.