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Peer Educators

Hokie Wellness has a variety of peer education teams:

  • HEAT
  • IMPACT
  • FEELS & The Connection Project (TCP)
  • Sorority Body Project
  • Mental Health Initiatives Team
  • Financial Wellness
  • Sexual Violence Prevention (SVP)

Students in these programs gain skills in leadership, responsibility, organization, and networking. Peer educators are motivated by personal experience and the desire to improve lifestyles for themselves and students around them. They are knowledgeable about public health issues and develop self-confidence, public speaking skills, group facilitation, and communication skills. They also learn and practice effective problem solving, decision making, and program planning skills. They value the importance of sharing ideas and learning from others.


Why become a Peer Educator?

HEAT

HEAT (Health Education and Awareness Team) members do public health outreach events designed to make the campus community healthier, safer, and more enjoyable. We are exploring other ways to improve wellness through new programming types. HEAT's current areas of focus are in sleep, vaping, and tobacco use.

IMPACT

The goal of IMPACT is to create positive change to the campus environment and culture. The team supports fellow Hokies by providing judgement-free education on substance misuse prevention in topics such as alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and other drugs. Peer educators on the IMPACT team promote the Party Positive harm reduction message by teaching workshops and trainings, holding outreach events, and facilitating 1:1 sessions like the 21st Birthday Project!

FEELS Peer Support Circle & The Connection Project Facilitators

FEELS & The Connection Project (TCP) facilitators are undergraduate students who will use ongoing training, supervision, & lived experiences to support their peers. This group promotes mental health on campus through facilitation of mental health peer support groups, outreach, and events.

Sorority Body Project

Sorority Body Project (SBP) Peer Educators are a peer education group trained by Hokie Wellness staff to facilitate workshops to sorority members on the healthy ideal, body acceptance and preventing eating disorders.

Mental Health Initiatives Team

The Mental Health Initiatives Team is a group of trained graduate-level interns who facilitate educational workshops and outreach about mental health and emotional well-being as well as facilitate mental health peer support groups. The goal of the Mental Health Initiatives Team is to help students learn tools and strategies to care for their emotional wellness.

Financial Wellness Peer Educators

Financial Wellness Peer Educators are trained on major aspects of personal financial management (budgeting, credit, student loans, financial planning/goal setting, and banking terminology) in addition to identifying campus resources for students to save money.

Sexual Violence Prevention (SVP)

The SVP Peer Team is a group of undergraduate and graduate students who are passionate about educating on sexual and interpersonal violence prevention and awareness. The team’s primary goal is to educate campus members on how to recognize and prevent sexual and interpersonal violence in their communities along with building up the skills and confidence Hokie’s need to do this important work in their communities. The SVP team leads trainings, workshops, collaborates on awareness events in addition to working with other students and organizations to customize prevention education around consent, healthy/unhealthy relationships, active intervention, prevention strategies, and more that fit the needs of their communities!

Other Peer Education Programs

The following peer education programs are part of other departments at Virginia Tech (outside of Hokie Wellness)

PALS

The Peer Assistance for Learning program (PAL) is a volunteer opportunity for Virginia Tech students. In this role, PALs provide programmatic support for the counseling center by making and giving outreach presentations on various topics. They help spread information about mental health awareness and study skills.

SAVES

The Sexual Assault and Violence Education by Students (SAVES) peer education team facilitates interactive and educational programs that address sexual assault, healthy relationships, stalking, and the effects of media on gender-based violence. SAVES peer educators are a team of specially trained students (women, men, and people of all genders) who care about our community and want to make it a safe place for everyone to work and live. We are a group of passionate, dedicated Hokies. From facilitating presentations for residence halls and student organizations to planning events like The Red Flag Campaign, SAVES strives to make a positive difference in the VT community.

AWARE

The AWARE Club develops curriculum and facilitates educational programs for 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls at Blacksburg Middle School. Virginia Tech women lead discussions on topics such as healthy relationships, creativity, body image and self-esteem, as well as facilitate workshops and mentor young girls. Volunteers must attend weekly planning meetings and at least one session with students at the Middle School. Volunteers are commit to the program for an entire year.