Youth Volunteers

Make a difference! By joining Peers Building Justice, you can:

What is Peers Building Justice?
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) 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.

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.

Who can get involved in this program?
We are always looking to include volunteers who are youth between the ages of 14-18 and adults interested in working with and mentoring youth.

**We encourage applications from high school and adults of all religions, nationalities, ethnic groups, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities, and physical abilities. We also seek applicants who are bilingual and fluent in Spanish.

What would I do in Peers Building Justice?

• Educate: Creatively educate middle school and high school students about the issues of Dating Abuse, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Assault
• Learn: In-depth training and discussion on issues of interpersonal violence and other issues of oppression like racism, ageism, classism, heterosexism, and ableism.
• Represent: Be a positive voice for youth in Boulder County at rallies, community events, on public radio, in the newspaper, among your family and friends, and anywhere else you can think of on issues of social justice!
• Increase Awareness: Develop projects to spread the word about peace. Some examples of what has been done include: making an educational and fun video, painting a mural, making stickers and pens, creating a Web site, and being in a play.
• Raise Money: Plan and carry out fundraisers for interpersonal violence prevention.
• Be an Example: Use nonviolent behaviors and speech in your own life.

What's in it for me?

• Working for peace, you can make a difference!
• Earn school credit. Many schools in the Boulder Valley offer academic credit for volunteer work. Check with your counselor to see if this applies to you.
• Volunteering is an important asset in getting a job, getting into college, and developing new skills.
• Learning about the relationship between oppression and interpersonal violence.
• Learning to present and developing presentations on these topics.
• Deepening your understanding of the issues of dating abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other issues of anti-oppression which include racism, heterosexism, sexism, classism, and ageism.
• Interpersonal violence, or any type of violence between individuals such as sexual assault and dating abuse, is a prevalent problem.  Peer Educators play a very important role in increasing community awareness about interpersonal violence, helping victims get support, and ultimately reducing the occurrence of interpersonal violence among young people.
• Fun with new Peer Educators!

What is my commitment?

• Becoming a Peer Educator or adult Mentor requires a commitment to the program for a minimum of one school year(September-May) which includes attending monthly meetings, events, presentations you sign up for, etc.
• Complete a 40-hour training in October.
• Commit to attending and participating in monthly program meetings.
• Educate your peers at least 5 times during the school year
• Help to organize and take part in social justice seminars/events
• Participate in fundraising and awareness raising activities
• Commit to using nonviolent behaviors and speech in your own life.
• Peer Eds who maintain this commitment have fun, gain strong skills, and experience personal growth from their time as a Peer Educator. In return, the coordinators and volunteer adult mentors provide Peer Eds with ongoing feedback, support, and learning opportunities. This experience could change your life and the lives of your peers!

What is the training schedule?

PBJ high school training:

• October 30th, November 1st, November 3rd, November 6th, November 8th, November 10th, November 13th. Tuesday and Thursdays 3:30-6:30pm, Saturdays 10am-3pm.
  
• Meetings will be held first and third Thursday of the month (from3:30 -5:30 p.m.) at New Vista High Schoo.

How can I get involved?
Please contact Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence or MESA and fill out the Peer Educator application. Applications can be downloaded here:

• Peer Educator Application 2007-2008

Contact information

	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 x101