Women's Peer Education Program

The Women’s Peer Educator Program seeks to promote gender equality by providing education and support to members of the UCSD community. We work within a feminist framework to plan and implement programs that raise awareness around issues that disproportionately affect women in our society. Areas we focus on include body image, sexual health, multiple role balance, mental health, gender bias, sexual violence, and other issues generated by the campus community. We work to form liaisons with other organizations and groups on campus such as the Women’s Center, AS Women’s Commission, Student Safety and Sexual Assault Resource Center, and Student Health Services to develop workshops and outreach activities. Some of the events and activities the Women’s Peers are likely to be involved in include:

• Facilitating discussions for the Gender Buffet Series at the Women’s Center
• Tabling for Eating Disorder Awareness Week
• Tabling at Take Back the Night
• Delivering workshops on healthy eating and body image
• Presenting to the Wellness Class about Eating Disorders
• Film Screening and Discussion on Masculinity and Violence Against Women
• Peer recruitment and selection

In addition, Women’s Peers join the other Peer Education programs for All Peer training in basic counseling skills, group facilitation, crisis management, ethics, and how to construct and implement outreach and workshop presentations. They also participate in weekly training and supervision sessions with the program coordinators to expand these skills and receive more intensive training in workshop development and implementation, mental health and women’s issues. This is a unique opportunity to receive training, mentoring and support from a professional psychologist and advanced doctoral student that can facilitate your personal and professional growth, as well as, assist you in exploring possibilities for future work in the helping professions.

If you are interested in becoming a peer educator for the Women’s Peer Education program, please complete an online application during Spring quarter. Applications are typically accepted in mid-April for the next academic year. There will be an Information Session about the program and application process in April, so check back for specifics regarding time and location. For more information about the program, or to request a presentation for your group, you can contact Dr. Cathy Thompson at (858) 534-3987.