Peer Counselor Training Program
The peer counselor development program is designed to teach as many as 30 of your community youth and young adults ages fourteen and up the skills to respond in a healthy way to their peers that may be struggling with alcohol and drug problems, thoughts about suicide, young children using solvents and inhalants; and additional issues youth are faced with today. This program runs over two consecutive weeks, Monday thru Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and includes four special evening workshops that are open to all community members. The following topics and skills development in the Peer Counselor Training include:
- Maintaining personal and professional wellness
- Personal characteristics of effective peer counselors
- The history of alcohol in Native communities
- Understanding the damages alcohol has on the brain and body
- Understanding blood alcohol content
- The role alcohol plays in suicide
- Profile of alcoholism
- The physiological effects of psychoactive drugs
- The drug problem and how it is affecting Native communities
- Responding to solvent abuse
- Individual counseling skills development including a three stage skills model of counseling; explore, understand, act.
- An effective approach to the counseling process.
- Strategies to assist your peers in self-exploration.
- Crisis intervention skills.
- Group facilitation skills.
- Facilitating alcohol and drug awareness and prevention workshops for your peers.
- Suicide assessment, intervention and prevention.
- Developing respectful working relationships with community health care professionals and other relevant authorities.
The following topics are covered in the evening workshops and are open to all community members
- The real truth about alcohol and drugs
- Moving beyond substance abuse
- The role Native gangs are playing in destroying our communities
- Walking the path of honor and respect