About Us

Peers Building Justice is a program for high school youth that gives them the knowledge and opportunity to speak out against interpersonal violence and oppression.  Our Mission is to educate middle and high school students on the issues of dating abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and oppression (racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, classism, etc.) and to generate a dialogue among students in order to prevent interpersonal violence.

Peer Educators are high-school aged volunteers who receive 30 hours of intensive training on the causes, and the issues surrounding, interpersonal violence. The training teaches Peer Educators to give educational presentations on dating abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. During the training, students learn about oppression, power, privilege, and cultural sensitivity. Students also learn about activism, youth empowerment, healthy relationships, empathic listening, and presentation skills.

Adult mentors are also vital to our program. Mentors are needed for mentoring and presenting to middle and high school classrooms on the issues of dating abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault in the Boulder Valley School District. In addition to mentoring/presenting, adult mentors will lead a project committee as well as facilitate a download group for a small group of peer educators.

Peer Educators have developed creative ways, beyond the presentations they give in classrooms, to raise awareness regarding interpersonal violence issues in youth. Peer Educators have spoken at rallies and marches to end interpersonal violence, and they have hosted a social justice seminar, as well as conducting fundraising to raise money for violence prevention. Peer Educators have created educational videos, written public service announcements, developed marketing materials such as stickers and pens, painted a dynamic mural in downtown Boulder, and created an interactive web site. Peer Educators also used theater as an additional approach to educating youth about interpersonal violence.

Peers Building Justice has educated more than 40,000 students in Boulder County since 1996. The Peer Education Program aims to empower youth by giving them the knowledge and opportunity to speak out against interpersonal violence. Peers Building Justice is a collaboration between Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA) and Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence.

Contact

	Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence Melissa Nieto-Florez – Youth Educator and Organizer 835 North Street Boulder, Colorado 80304 melissa@safehousealliance.org (303) 449-8623
	MESA – Moving to End Sexual Assault Andie Lyons – Prevention Education Coordinator 2885 East Aurora Avenue Suite 10 Boulder, Colorado 80303 andie@movingtoendsexualassault.org (303) 443-0400 x105