MODULE NINE:

1. MODULE NINE: Peer Education and Leadership

2. Objectives: Students will: • Define the qualities of an effective leader. • Be more effective team leaders and team members. • Understand how to effectively manage a project and their peers. • Develop an awareness of peer educator skills.

3. Important qualities of a leader: • Honesty, integrity, and responsibility are important qualities in a leader. • Effective leaders are also inspirational, caring, hard-working, self-aware, confident, adaptable, and service-oriented. • They also have the ability to communicate well. • And, they appreciate those who are under their leadership.

4. Skills inventory: • What are your strengths? • How can you use your strengths when working with others? • What areas need strengthening or improvement? • How can you be aware of these areas when working with others?

5. What do good leaders do? • Motivate other people • Achieve unity within their group • Guide those who need guidance • Establish goals and begin to work toward them • Hold themselves accountable for their group’s actions • Listen to those they are leading • Help others • Ask for help

6. How do leaders lead? • They lead by example • They lead because they have a passion to lead and passion for their cause • They have good communication and listening skills • They are aware of and deal with their strengths AND weaknesses

7. How do leaders learn? • Listen to those they work with. • Step back from each experience to appreciate the lesson learned. • Are open to change and improvements whether from peers or supervisors. • Seek guidance and advice from a community or program leader.

8. Project management involves: • Setting goals. • Being ready to take risks. • Setting timelines. • Sticking to the timelines. • Evaluating the project. • Modifying plans if necessary. • Maintaining the group’s motivation. • Encouraging completion of the project. • Thanking those involved when the project is completed.

9. Setting goals: • Your goals must be specific and clearly defined before beginning work. • You must be able to measure the outcome of your goals. • Your goals should be flexible and adaptable. • Keep your goals realistic and attainable. • Is your goal reachable within your time frame?

10. How a leader motivates others: • Utilize an individual’s natural talents when assigning tasks. • Understand that everyone does not have the same strengths. • Make people feel as though they are contributing something unique to the group. • Make people feel as though their time and efforts are valued. • Make people feel appreciated for the job they have done.

11. Effective leaders motivate by: • Making suggestions, not demands. • Making sure everyone is contributing. • Making sure others understand all viewpoints and the details of what is being said.

12. Problem solving: • First, create a comfortable atmosphere. • Determine and clarify the problem and issues. • Make sure everyone is aware of the problem. • Plan a solution as a group. • Have everyone agree on the solution and ensure their pledge to working toward it. • Implement the plan as a group. • Evaluate the solution as a group. • Determine how to avoid new conflicts in the future.

13. How do leaders improve their leadership skills? • By LISTENING to suggestions of those they work with. • By constantly reviewing their own skills and work. • By being open to constructive criticism. • By continuing to read and educate themselves on what it means to be a good leader.

14. Who is a leader? YOU ARE!

15. What is Peer Education? The premise of peer education is that people (teens) are highly influenced by their peers, and that information coming from “like individuals” will be valued more highly than information from adults or individuals not seen as part of one’s peer group. Source: “Peer Education” Planned Parenthood Center of West Michigan, 2004 Edition.

16. What is a Peer Educator? • Someone who has been trained in a specific topic, and then shares that information with others • Someone not seen as an “authority” but as a “friend in the know” • An important role model for others

17. Qualities of a Peer Educator: • Open & honest, wants to help others • Non judgemental- accepts people as they are • Confident • Committed to researching facts • Maintains confidentiality • Committed to school academics as primary responsibility • Knows when to seek adult help

18. Peer Educator Skills: • Knowledge of the subject you will be discussing. • Ability to research the subject or topic of the peer education • Not afraid to admit you don’t know something or to have to research something new. • Confident in your ability to discuss personal, private, social, and ethical issues that affect yourself and your peers. • Able to lead a free, open, and HONEST conversation on the topic you will be discussing.

19. Examples of Peer Education Programs • Planned Parenthood Programs • Drug & Alcohol Awareness • American Red Cross programs • Education-such as tutoring • Serving students with disabilities • High School Student Assistance Peers

20. National Health Service Corps • Dedicated to serving the Nation’s underserved. • Scholarship program • Loan repayment program • Visit: http://.nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov

21. Resources for the Peer Educator: • Libraries • Schools • Teachers • World Wide Web • Your local Area Health Education Center • Textbooks • Parents

22. Summary: Congratulations on completing all 3 tiers of the Youth Health Service Corps!