What is The PEERS Project?
WE believe that teens need to have positive experiences in order to succeed. Our program is based on this philosophy and this is why we do more than simply provide youth with education. We engage older youth to teach interactive lessons to their younger peers. These lessons include resisting risky behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, sexual activity, and bullying. Not only is the message more readily received by younger adolescents, but the Peer Leaders themselves are also provided with a group of friends who have committed to making the same healthy lifestyle choices. These High School Peer Leaders become role models for the middle school students and a support network for their friends.
Grants from federal and state agencies, and local foundations, and individual contributions underwrite The PEERS Project. Therefore, programming is provided at no charge to schools, organizations and agencies. In our twenty year history, over 1,000,000 students have been reached by more than 25,000 Peer Leaders.
A Million-Person Impact
The PEERS Project has reached more than ONE MILLION youth across the state of Indiana, advocating positive relationships and healthy lifestyles among teens to create counter-cultural change agents.
Empowering Youth
“What makes PEERS’ programming so unique is the empowerment of high school students who model the positive behaviors they encourage their younger peers to practice. By engaging students, they become part of the solution as PEERS’ interactive program demonstrates essential life skills such as goal setting, decision making and assertiveness. Peer leaders’ instruction and personal guidance about the differences between healthy and abusive relationships help to prepare adolescents for dating and marriage.”
–Indiana State Senator
