Peer Health Educators are UWM students who develop and facilitate educational programs and materials on a variety of relevant health and wellness topics. Our programs aim to educate students, empower them to make positive health behaviors, promote self-awareness, and encourage decisions that positively impact their health and well-being, and that of their UWM community.
Peer Health Educators facilitate workshops, presentations, games and activities, and tabling events across campus. Our offerings include evidence-based and evidence-informed programs, program collaboration with campus partners, and tailoring programs to fit the needs of specific student groups.
- We offer information and tips for making positive health choices through the Student Health and Wellness Center website, campus bulletin boards, audio, visual and print materials, and social media.
- Whether you are interested in exploring one particular health topic, or if you have a general curiosity about all aspects of health and well-being, the Peer Health Educators offer services for the following topics:
- Sexual Health
- Mental and Emotional Health
- Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Nutrition, Movement and Body Image
- Healthy Relationships
- Sleep
- Infectious Disease
De-stress, not Distress
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student/Professional Staff
Description: Let’s take a break! As busy college students, experiencing stress is common. The impact of ongoing or unresolved stress can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, irritability, poor concentration, physical illness, fatigue, and sleep difficulties. In this workshop, we will discuss the stressors in our lives, reflect on the tools and strategies we currently use to cope and take care of ourselves, and explore new ways to proactively manage stress.
Swipe Safely
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: In this program, we’ll explore safety features and tips to keep yourself safe on dating apps and we’ll practice “swiping” on fake dating profiles.
Snack & Chat
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: In this program, we’ll watch clips from popular shows and movies and discuss what makes a relationship healthy. Snacks will be provided!
Eating On a Time Crunch
Duration: 40 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Finding time to cook and eat nutritious foods as a busy college student is hard! In this workshop, we’ll discuss tips for sneaking in nutritious foods during a busy schedule, tips for meal prepping, and packing lunches. By the end of it, you’ll also have made your own recipe book!
Journaling for Body Acceptance
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: In this workshop, students can explore various styles of journaling and find one that meets their interests. We’ll discuss using journaling as a form of self-care to help students better express their thoughts and reflect on them. The focus of this workshop is on body acceptance and body neutrality, and how journaling can be an outlet for reflecting on your relationship with your body.
Condom Olympics
Duration: 1 hour
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Learn about safe sex practices, consent, and sexual wellness in this interactive program. Test your knowledge with trivia and interactive games!
SMART Goals and Vision Boards
Duration: 1 hour
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Are you in a period of transition? Are you working toward a particular goal? Maybe you have big dreams, but you don’t know where to start. In this program, we will walk you through how to set SMART goals, how to break down big dreams into more manageable and attainable goals, and create a vision board as a reminder of where you are headed!
Calm & Crafty
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Get artsy and zen out with the Student Health and Wellness Center! Drop in and dive into a world of relaxation through creative self-care with arts and crafts.
Health Bingo
Duration: 30-60 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Like traditional BINGO but with health questions! Test your knowledge on a specific health topic, and as you answer the questions, mark your BINGO card to win!
Options for topic-specific BINGO:
- Sexual Health
- Alcohol and Other Drugs
Enthusiastic Consent
Duration: 30-45 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Consent should be verbal, ongoing, and enthusiastic! In this interactive and informative workshop, we’ll discuss how consent can enhance a sexual experience, examine the meaning of enthusiastic consent, and practice communicating it.
Sleep Strategies
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student/Professional Staff
Description: Getting quality sleep is crucial for overall well-being and academic success. Drop in to discover how small changes to sleep can make a big difference in your energy, productivity, and well-being, and participate in sleep-themed crafts!
Rethinking Your Drinking
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Did you know that mindfulness practices can support more than your mental health? In this workshop, we’ll highlight the components of mindfulness, review harm reduction strategies related to drinking, and discuss how you can apply these components and strategies to making safer decisions around drinking.
Boundary Builders
Duration: 50 minutes
Audience: Students
Facilitator: Student Staff
Description: Clearly communicated boundaries is an important component of any relationship. Learn about how you can clearly and concisely set boundaries and practice communicating them in this low-stakes environment.
Request these programs or any of HPA’s other programs here
Don’t see a program that fits your needs? Reach out to us! We are happy to meet with campus partners and student groups to tailor programs to better fit the needs of students.
To learn more, ask a question, or to collaborate on a program, email us at phe-info@uwm.edu.
Follow us on Instagram! @uwm_wellness
Interested in becoming a Peer Health Educator? We typically recruit and hire new Peer Health Educators each semester, so keep an eye on Handshake for open positions