Health and Wellness Peer Educators

Health and Wellness Peer Educators are dedicated to increasing awareness in areas of health and wellness; encouraging safer behaviors and choices; encouraging positive healthy lifestyles, and promoting healthy minds and bodies for FIT students. A Health and Wellness Peer Educator is also dedicated to raising awareness and providing education on alcohol, other drugs, and violence prevention in an effort to promote a healthier environment for the FIT community.

Health and Wellness Peer Educators are a diverse group, made up of both traditional and nontraditional students. Benefits of becoming a health peer include personal development, gaining health knowledge and awareness, and meeting new people.

All Health Peer Educators will be trained in the following areas:

  • body awareness (nutrition, eating disorders, exercise, and dieting)
  • safer sex (sexuality, HIV/AIDS, STDs, risky behaviors)
  • stress management (time management)
  • tobacco (prevention, cessation, and advocacy)
  • women's health (reproductive health and birth control)
  • men’s health
  • alcohol prevention and education
  • drug education and prevention (marijuana and other drugs)
  • violence prevention and response
  • sexual assault prevention, education, and response
  • self-care/wellness (mental health)
  • bystander intervention

Upon completion of training, students will be able to participate in the following types of health promotion activities:

Health education programs and services seek to provide students with information they need to make informed and responsible decisions concerning their health. Health Peer Educators may participate in facilitating student surveys; running town hall meetings; leading student focus groups; program development, planning and execution, and program evaluations.

Outreach involves campus and community education presentations and workshops. An outreach can take place on campus (classroom, club, and cafeteria) or off campus (at a neighboring school or community center).

Tabling and walkabout programs promote health advocacy via peer education by participating in week and month long events that take place at the college, such as Sustainability Awareness Week, Diversity Awareness Week, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Sexual Assault Awareness Education. 

Selection Criteria

Health and Wellness Peer Educators are selected based on the following criteria:

  • strong communication skills
  • excellent listening skills
  • strong commitment to mental and physical health and wellness
  • the ability to serve as an informed referral source
  • good academic and disciplinary standing with the College (at least a 3.0 GPA)

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of Health and Wellness Peer Educators include:

  • peer education with one-on-one support for fellow students
  • providing between 3-5 weekly office hours to serve the FIT student community
  • referral services for College-related concerns and questions
  • participating in College’s weekly or monthly activities throughout the academic year
  • participating in bi-weekly staff meetings with the Health and Wellness Peer Mentor Program Coordinator; meetings will occur during common hours on Tuesday or Thursdays
  • organizing at least two health and wellness related programs each semester; programs are created based on campus needs and include workshops on topics such as nutrition, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual responsibility, physical wellness (e.g. yoga, aerobics), etc. 
  • coordinating and participating in at least one community service project based in the New York metro area at least once each academic year
  • educate the campus community through poster and bulletin board campaigns during national awareness weeks and other events for related topic: Sustainability Awareness Week, Disability Awareness Week, Sexual Assault Awareness Education, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, bystander intervention, responsible drinking, tobacco prevention, etc,
  • keep up to date information on current student health and wellness concerns
  • other duties as assigned

Compensation

Students will be paid an hourly rate for approximately 8-10 hours per week.

Staff meetings and in-service will alternate weekly on either Tuesday or Thursday during Common Hour. Staff meetings and in-service will be 1 hour in length and occur throughout the course of the academic year (e.g. September to May).

Requirements

All FIT Tiger LEADer Mentor applicants must meet the following:

  1. You must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA during training and while holding the position.
  2. You must be in good disciplinary standing with the college.
  3. You must have attended FIT for at least one full semester (freshmen are eligible to apply as training will commence in the spring) or have one year of student leadership experience at another institution. 
  4. You must participate and attend all leadership training classes and workshops, which includes Tiger Leader Weekend. All training is mandatory and the entire program must be completed in order to become a peer mentor. All peer educators must also attend all staff and in-service meetings which will take place during common hour on either Tuesday or Thursdays.
  5. You must be on time to every scheduled program or activity.
  6. You must actively participate in discussions and maintain a positive attitude at all sessions.
  7. You must model ethical and positive behavior. Remember that as a student leader in training, you are regarded as an example to all students in the FIT community.
  8. You must understand that failure to maintain these requirements may result in loss of the student leader position.

Questions

If you have any questions about the Health and Wellness Peer Educator position, you can email [email protected].