Interagency Youth Working Group

Peer education in youth programs is popular throughout the world, with large investments made in this approach. These programs train youth in reproductive health or HIV/AIDS issues and expect these youth to convey this information to their peers. Activities vary widely in type and frequency, number and intensity of contacts, and frequency of follow-up. Settings include schools, universities, clubs, churches, street settings, workplaces, barracks, or wherever young people gather.

 

Youth peer education is often undertaken because it is thought that young people are more receptive to information from their peers and that these programs are a convenient way to reach a large number of youth with information, often with volunteer staff. But when done well, peer education requires intensive planning, coordination, supervision, and resources. There are program costs inherent in each element of a peer education program — training, support, supervision, supplies, allowances — all of which require realistic budgeting and careful monitoring. Some researchers have raised questions about the cost effectiveness of such programs, their sustainability due to high turnover, and the impact that peers actually make on their counterparts.

 

Peer to Peer: Creating Successful Peer Education Programs (PDF 1.6 MB)

This guide describes the necessary steps to plan, implement, and evaluate a program to train youth to teach their peers about sexual and reproductive health (SRH). It contains adaptable tools to support program activities, as well as examples of SRH projects from IPPF/WHR member associations in Latin America and the Caribbean. (International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region, 2004)

 

Youth Peer Education in Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS: Progress, Process, and Programming for the Future (PDF, 413 KB)

This 28-page report summarizes the latest thinking on youth peer education, as discussed at a two-day international consultation held in Washington, DC in January 2006. The report frames the key issues, provides a summary of evidence of the degree of impact of these programs, discusses major issues for peer education, gives examples of programs that are scaling up activities, and offers suggestions for the future. (Family Health International/YouthNet, 2006)

 

Youth Peer Education in Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS. YouthLens No. 24.

This four-page research brief summarizes the highlights from the report above and includes updates on key issues. (Family Health International, available September 2007)

 

Youth Peer Education Toolkit

The kit contains five resources (shown below). Designed to help program managers and master trainers of youth peer educators, they are based on research and evidence from the field as well as local examples and experiences. The toolkit was a collaboration between the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Family Health International/YouthNet, working with the Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER), a project coordinated by UNFPA. (2005-2006)

Formative Research on Youth Peer Education Program Productivity and Sustainability: Youth Research Working Paper No. 3.(PDF, 489 KB). This 64-page paper discusses the first phase of a two-part study that identified core elements of programs through an examination of program dynamics, activities, costs, and outputs in two countries. Based on this data, the first phase developed frameworks and eight checklists to use in assessing youth peer education effectiveness and sustainability. (Family Health International/YouthNet, 2005)

Improving Female Recruitment, Participation, and Retention Among Peer Educators in the Geração BIZ Program in Mozambique. (PDF) This 40-page report summarizes a study that developed and tested a new strategy focusing on female peer educators, including involving parents in the recruitment process. It provides useful guidance for gender issues and the role of parents. (Pathfinder, 2006)

 

Peer Approach in Adolescent Reproductive Health Education: Some Lessons Learned. (PDF) This 69-page report contains a useful summary of the topic, including research results, lessons learned from projects, guidelines for programs that draw on useful tools from multiple organizations, and a bibliography. (UNESCO, 2003)

 

Peer Education and HIV/AIDS: Past Experiences, Future Directions (PDF). This report of an international consultation (not focusing specifically on youth) identified many of the key issues that were addressed in the 2006 youth peer education conference (see first item in key documents), including selection criteria, gender, sustainability, and the need for more monitoring and evaluation. (Population Council/Horizons, 1999)

Peer Promotion Programs and Social Networks in Ghana: Methods for Monitoring and Evaluating AIDS Prevention and Reproductive Health Programs among Adolescents and Young Adults (PDF, 23 KB). This study used qualitative methods, including network analysis, to uncover patterns of social interaction, understand social behavior, and plan peer promotion efforts. (Pathfinder International/FOCUS on Young Adults, 2000)