Youth who positively influence other youth is a simple way to describe The PEERS Project, but its purpose goes beyond the surface.
“Today’s youth go through so much. Developing leadership in youth and teaching them to make healthy lifestyle choices is important because they’re going to be faced with difficult situations like sex and drugs and they need to know how to handle that,” said Joe Pickard, executive director of The PEERS Project. “If it comes from an adult, they might listen, but if it comes from someone slightly older, the message gets through better.”
The PEERS Project creates a positive network of influence for teens who teach their peers how to make healthy lifestyle choices. The network selects high school youth to become peer leaders. Three times a year, peer leaders visit with students in the sixth through ninth grade and present interactive, peer-led curriculums. Program participants are pre-selected from area middle and high schools.
“If peers can have a negative influence, they certainly can have a positive influence,” said Pickard.
High school freshmen talk with sixth graders about media influences, friendships, peer pressure and assertiveness techniques; sophomores dialogue with seventh graders about teen pregnancy and parenthood, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the links between sex and drugs; juniors are paired with eighth graders to educate them about healthy relationships, dating and other risky behavior as well as strategies that help teens be leaders; and seniors talk with freshmen about lasting love and STDs.
“We aren’t proselytizing. Peer leaders do share their experiences, but when it comes to things like sex and STDs, we are medically accurate and present facts,” said Pickard.
He adds that youth will eventually encounter situations like being at a party where everyone is drinking; or finding themselves alone with the opposite sex. The key, he says, is being prepared.
Middle school students Mistie Rivas and Legend Edwards said they are glad high school students gave them honest info about the difficult situations they’d face in their future. Today, the 16-year-old North Central High School juniors currently lead a healthy lifestyle and are giving back to students as peer leaders.
“It’s hard having to say no and being around people who are making bad decisions. You don’t know if you should tell on them, do what they’re doing or keep it to yourself. This program keeps you motivated because you are surrounded by people who have the same beliefs as you,” said Rivas.
Edwards said his peer leader group speaks to youth at Northview, Eastwood and Westlane Middle Schools and while some students seem as if they don’t care about what they have to say, it makes him feel good knowing he can be himself and not succumb to bad choices.
“I like (The) PEERS Project’s values and I want to teach them to kids,” said Edwards. “Having self-respect and being assertive is important because when you have those things people can’t easily change your mind.”
The PEERS Project is currently recruiting and training peer leaders.
“If you believe you should make good decisions and want to use your voice, and you believe what we do is a good thing, you should be a peer leader,” said Rivas. “I have really good friends through PEERS. We see people we used to be friends with going down the wrong path.”
The PEERS Project is currently implemented in 23 counties in Indiana including Marion County and is a federally and state-funded program. Pickard said his goal is to boost funding and expand the program in more Indiana counties.
He also wants to increase the frequency of visits; develop small group discussions with eighth graders; and boost peer leader follow-up with students. Partnering with colleges and pairing them with high school students is also a goal.
“The PEERS Project is a way to change the culture. Not all youth are doing bad things. We need to raise our expectations and get the kids doing positive things out there to lead this movement,” said Pickard.
For more information about The PEERS Project or to donate funds, visit Peersproject.org or call (317) 592-4015.
