Peer Health Education

The PHEs Mission Statement:
The Peer Health Education is a campus and community based network focusing on comprehensive health and safety initiatives. It is the mission of the PHEs to actively promote student and young adult based, campus -wide leadership on healthy and safe lifestyle decisions concerning alcohol abuse, tobacco use, illegal drug use, unhealthy sexual practices and other high-risk behaviors. The organization will devote the substantial portion of its resources and activities to:

1. create and foster a thriving network of organizations and young adult led peer education group supporting health and safety initiatives,
2. empower students, administrators, faculty and staff to voice their opinions and needs to create healthier and safer campus communities,
3. develop and promote resources and health promotion campaigns that support peer education, campus leadership, and activism on health and safety issues,
4. provide training opportunities for students, young adults and professionals to support health and safety strategies,
5. promote and disseminate research and effective strategies that better help campuses address health and safety issues, and
6. advocate for effective policies and practices for campus and community health and safety issues.

The PHEs goal:
That all students play a uniquely effective role in encouraging their peers to consider, talk honestly about and develop responsible habits and attitudes toward high-risk health and safety issues.

Peer Health Educator Code of Ethics

I value and know my role as a peer educator.
In order to best fulfill that role, I will:
Grant individuals respect and dignity;
Honor and strive to understand diversity in all its forms;
Recognize that, through patience and understanding, every person is constantly growing and learning.

I value and know my role as a friend.
In order to best fulfill that role, I will:
Offer opportunities for people to explore their thoughts and feelings;
Offer myself as a link between student and the professional services on campus;
Not manipulate any situation or another person’s vulnerability for my own benefit;
Maintain confidentiality, except when, to my best judgment, the person is in physical or mental danger

I value and know my role as an educator.
In order to fulfill that role, I will:
Learn as much as possible about the issue that affect my peers;
Only offer information with the greatest accuracy possible;
Accept feedback and support from my advisor(s) or other professional staff.

I value and know my role as an activist.
In order to fulfill that role, I will:
Refuse to be a bystander;
I will confront unhealthy attitudes and behaviors;
I will work to change the campus and community environment to promote healthy choices.

I value and know my role as a role model.
In order to best fulfill that role, I will:
Make decisions in my own life that are positive and healthy;
Challenge myself to continue my own physical, mental, spiritual and emotional growth;
Accept guidance from others who care about me.

I value and know my role as a team member.
In order to best fulfill that role, I will:
Accept supervision and support from my advisor,
Commit to actively participating in the peer education group,
Support and encourage my fellow student athletes.

I value and know my role as an individual.
In order to best fulfill that role, I will:
Understand that my primary responsibility is to myself;
Not allow my peer education duties interfere with my own goals and aspirations;
Not allow my peer education duties to put my emotional or physical well being at risk.

"I value and know who I am. I am an individual, friend, and educator, an activist, a role model, and a team member. I am a peer educator"

For more information on Peer Health Education,
or to become a Peer Health Educator, please contact:
Erin Murphy
Health Educator
Office of Health Promotion
662-915-5055
elmurphy@olemiss.edu