Settings & Audiences for Peer Education

Community-based organizations (CBOs) offer a unique set of experience and skills that are extremely valuable in the practice of peer education. In fact, CBOs are already involved in implementing peer education programs in varied contexts, including in schools, both as part of the structured learning program and after-school services. CBOs also work creatively with out-of-school youth, by offering services in youth centers or in association with other community institutions such as churches, career guidance centers, libraries, sports clubs or even on the street.

The ultimate goal of peer education is to promote positive health outcomes for people of all ages by using their day-to-day experiences as opportunities for teaching them critical thinking and decision-making skills. Given the expertise that CBOs can offer, the focus of CBO-run peer education programs needs to be on successfully nurturing peer educators to enable programs to accomplish measurable objectives in each of the four aspects of peer education: structured delivery of education; informal role modeling; recognition and referrals, and activism and advocacy. In addition, CBOs should always strive to build sustainability and develop expertise for the future.

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