The SPEEK Peer Education Program was created in 1988 and has served more than 70,000 adolescents. The goal of the S.P.E.E.K. Peer Education Program at Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center is to reduce the incidence of adolescent pregnancy and the risk of contracting HIV and/or STI among youth 12-21 years old. Our mission is to empower young people in making healthier decisions so that they can become their own health advocates. Youth development activities provide opportunities for young people to express their creativity and opinions, build on strengths, and engage in youth-led programs. We want to offer teens positive learning experiences which may enhance their emotional well being. In addition, these projects ensure youth have access to medical, mental health and reproductive health care services.
Our peer to peer model adheres to the principles of youth development. Following the youth development approach we recruit, train, support, and guide adolescent peer educators. We provide training to a small cadre of youth 16-19 years old to become peer educators. Our 80-hour training addresses knowledge, attitude and skills pertinent to various educational topics including values clarification, decision-making, communication, HIV/AIDS, pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted infections/diseases, anatomy, relationships, safer sex, and group facilitation.
Peer educators utilize interactive exercise such as games, role playing and small group work to lead pregnancy prevention and HIV/AIDS workshops at schools and community agencies in New York City with a special emphasis in our East and Central Harlem community and at the Adolescent Health Center. Additional peer education activities are conducted in various forums including:
*vary from year to year