Studies show that youth seek a peer first when they are struggling and desire help. Peer Helpers are a diverse group of students who go through a selection process and are formally trained by adult leadership on their campus. These trained Peer Helper students gain leadership and counseling skills which guide them as they help their friends and fellow peers overcome or cope with bullying, abuse, substance use, suicide, grief, divorce, body image and more.

About the Peer Helper Program:

Peer Helpers brings together specially trained students who use core skills to assist fellow students with the emotional, societal, behavioral and educational challenges we all face in day-to-day life. Peer Helpers serve as tutors, mentors, mediators and advocates for their peers. Peer Helper Program Coordinators are teachers or counselors at their schools and are specially trained to teach the Peer Helper curriculum.

What are teachers and students saying about Peer Helper?

“The Peer Helpers program is one of the best experiences that I ever had in high school, and it inspired me to become a teacher.”  – Carol Perez Turner, age 29, teacher and former Peer Helpers student

“Being a Peer Helper has helped me to understand others and empathize with them... I take pride in knowing I am considered someone to go to in times of need.” – A. Crepeau, 8th grade Peer Helper