Peer Education Training Blog

Hi everyone, my name is Georgina, and I was lucky enough to attend the most recent Peer Education training. The application process was really easy, and my county peer education co-ordinator was really supportive. Once we arrived at the campsite, I got to know everyone quickly with lots of card games and ice-breaker activities. We all helped to cook dinner together and sat around the table sharing our guiding experiences. Before long we went off to bed ready for training the next day.

In the morning, we all had breakfast together before going to another hall for the training. We started with an introduction by the three amazing peer educator trainers before moving on to communication and facilitation skills. There were many opportunities to put these skills in practice as we led mini activities within the group.  After lunch we focused on managing behaviour in sessions as well as looking at safeguarding and safety. This was made really engaging with lots of role play and practice in small groups. We then had a go at delivering a small activity for the group. This was exciting as it allowed us to practice leading sessions for different sections, as well an opportunity for the rest of us to act like Brownies, Guides or Rangers! After a quick reflection on the day’s events, we had some free time to chill out or explore the site before dinner. After making and eating our own pizza’s, we took our camp blankets and watched a movie together before hot chocolate and bed.

On Sunday, a few more peer educators joined the group for the topic training on Think Resilient. The morning sessions looked at the structure and content of the topic and the different activities that make up a Peer Education session. This was an opportunity to learn how to adapt sessions for each group, allowing them to be individualised for the unit’s needs. We also spoke about the practicalities of organising a session, including questions to ask the unit leader and how to record all the sessions we run. After lunch, we started planning our own sessions and understanding all the resources that we had been provided with. It was then time to pack up and head home.

I had an amazing weekend and have discovered a network of peer educators from across Anglia. The trainers were supportive and were able to deliver the training in a fun and interactive way. I would recommend training to become a peer educator as it is a great way to engage with lots of young people and volunteers whilst making a positive difference within your own county.