Extending Peer Education Opportunities

About a year ago, I was a sixth year pupil at Boroughmuir High School about to start in the Boroughmuir Peer Education project with around 20 others in my year, led by Jay and Donald. I had no idea what to expect – I had been told that it would involve educating young people about issues such as alcohol and drugs but other than that it was a total mystery!

Jay and Lucy develop resources

Over the year, we did indeed educate the 1st and 2nd years on alcohol and drugs but there was so much more than just that. We got the chance to create our own activities, develop our skills in communication and take part in a range of opportunities such as attending a training day in the Fast Forward offices. By the end of the year, we had not only strengthened friendships among the group but had also strengthened skills that equipped us well for the move from school to whatever was coming next.

However, I wasn’t quite ready to give it all up when the year ended. We had been asked if we wanted to continue peer education as volunteers with Fast Forward and it was something that really appealed to me. So, a few emails and a quick chat with Chiara later and I’m now a volunteer with Fast Forward.

A few weeks ago, I got the chance to be in a classroom again doing peer education – although this time I wasn’t learning how to do it, I was working with Jay to deliver a session to 5th years on alcohol awareness. It was a little bizarre being back in school and not at the receiving end of a session! The session was only an hour long – despite my worries about delivering my first session out with Boroughmuir it all went very smoothly and very quickly. It was great working with Jay – he made me feel totally at ease and I really feel I learned a lot in that one hour from him.

So, in one crazy year I’ve gone from not really knowing what peer education is to going out on session to deliver education on alcohol. I don’t know where my next project with Fast Forward will take me but I know that whatever it is, it will be something new and exciting!

You can hear Lucy talk about the Boroughmuir Peer Education project with her 6th year colleagues in our film here.