Keeping peer educators alive filberts oluoch

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF PEER EDUCATORS

Innovative Options for Behavior Change

By Filberts OluochBy Filberts OluochNOPE Program Associate - WorkplaceNOPE Program Associate - Workplace

Presented at the NOPE 2Presented at the NOPE 2ndnd Peer Education Peer Education Conference: 14Conference: 14thth to 16 to 16thth June 2006 June 2006

KEEPING PEERKEEPING PEER EDUCATORS ALIVEEDUCATORS ALIVE THE WAY THE WAY

www.nope.or.ke

NATIONAL ORGAN IZATION OF PEER EDUCATORS




Who is a live peer educator?Who is a live peer educator? One whose actions are driven by a force One whose actions are driven by a force

behind all actions of a human beingbehind all actions of a human being

One with an One with an internal state or conditioninternal state or condition that that drivesdrives his/her participation in Peer Education his/her participation in Peer Education

One with a desireOne with a desire or or wantwant that energizes that energizes and directs his/her and directs his/her goal-orientedgoal-oriented behaviour. behaviour.

One having an One having an influenceinfluence of needs and of needs and desires that influences the desires that influences the intensityintensity and and direction of his/her behaviors.direction of his/her behaviors.



Therefore…..Therefore….. Keeping peer education alive is a Keeping peer education alive is a

continuum of activities that are aimed at continuum of activities that are aimed at keeping at high peak the intensity, keeping at high peak the intensity, influences, internal conditions and influences, internal conditions and intentions by peer educators so that they intentions by peer educators so that they achieve the goals of their volunteer tasks achieve the goals of their volunteer tasks

This is an essential part of Motivating Peer This is an essential part of Motivating Peer Educators and it is important because it is Educators and it is important because it is involved in enhancing the performance of involved in enhancing the performance of all learned responses, peer education all learned responses, peer education includedincluded



What for Peer Educators?What for Peer Educators? Intrinsic Motivations: Come from Intrinsic Motivations: Come from

inside. Examines the process within inside. Examines the process within the individuals that have to be the individuals that have to be promoted first by promoted first by self self ( what ( what characteristics do the Peer Educators characteristics do the Peer Educators have that make them tick?) have that make them tick?)

This is the best motivation for a This is the best motivation for a volunteer. “It forms the spiritual drive” volunteer. “It forms the spiritual drive”



Keeping the intrinsic driveKeeping the intrinsic drive

Secret 1: Recruit effectively:Secret 1: Recruit effectively: Identify the peer educators whose goals are Identify the peer educators whose goals are

agreeable to the program goals hence s/he is agreeable to the program goals hence s/he is comfortable with the roles and responsibilities. comfortable with the roles and responsibilities. The goals could be Challenging but realistic and The goals could be Challenging but realistic and fair to the peer educatorsfair to the peer educators

The value of work should be the drive. E.g. the The value of work should be the drive. E.g. the intention of reaching colleagues with information intention of reaching colleagues with information and skills, saving lives hence lives of their and skills, saving lives hence lives of their dependants and giving back to the communitydependants and giving back to the community



Then: How do we sustain this? Then: How do we sustain this? Communicate the project goal (s) clearly. (The Communicate the project goal (s) clearly. (The

goals are best communicated during the initial goals are best communicated during the initial stages of orientation of peer educators)stages of orientation of peer educators)

High Recognition: The managers should be able High Recognition: The managers should be able to appreciate the work of peer educators at every to appreciate the work of peer educators at every opportunityopportunity

Promotion: Does Peer Education add to Promotion: Does Peer Education add to performance appraisal performance appraisal

Peace of Mind: Is the regular work or life Peace of Mind: Is the regular work or life threatened by the role in peer education? Does threatened by the role in peer education? Does the work put them at conflict with the supervisors the work put them at conflict with the supervisors and departmental heads? Solve such problemsand departmental heads? Solve such problems



How cntd…How cntd… Ability to exercise power: Are the peer Ability to exercise power: Are the peer

educators owning the program? Are they educators owning the program? Are they involved at all levels? The peer educators involved at all levels? The peer educators should own the program and be involved in should own the program and be involved in making decisions about the programmaking decisions about the program

Personal Development: The participation Personal Development: The participation should add to personal development and give should add to personal development and give opportunity for the peer educators to develop opportunity for the peer educators to develop skills, knowledge and actualization process?skills, knowledge and actualization process?

Seek and identify sources of support for the Seek and identify sources of support for the peer educators beforehand- Identify networks peer educators beforehand- Identify networks and points of referral before the program and points of referral before the program kicks offkicks off



How cntd…How cntd…

Strengthen own perception among Strengthen own perception among the peer educatorsthe peer educators that effort will that effort will lead to successlead to success

Achievement: Identify tasks the way Achievement: Identify tasks the way that efforts lead to high that efforts lead to high performance and successperformance and success

Seek effective training for the tasksSeek effective training for the tasks



How cntd…How cntd…

Create regular Create regular opportunities for opportunities for Community Community outreaches. Many outreaches. Many peer educators peer educators have expressed an have expressed an intrinsic wish intrinsic wish to to give back to the give back to the communitycommunity

Workplace Peer educators at a joint Community Outreach event in Nyeri in Dec 2005



How cntd…How cntd… Feed backFeed back: Should be regularly obtained from the : Should be regularly obtained from the

management and the community. Official management and the community. Official testimonial or certificate for good performance can testimonial or certificate for good performance can assist in achieving this ( Have regular (Monthly) assist in achieving this ( Have regular (Monthly) meetings for feedback to peer educators). This meetings for feedback to peer educators). This can be made possible if the regional can be made possible if the regional coordinators/zone leaders are involved coordinators/zone leaders are involved strategically strategically

Share success stories with other programs to show Share success stories with other programs to show them that “our peer educators are a success”.them that “our peer educators are a success”.

Responsibility and authority: Peer Educators Responsibility and authority: Peer Educators should be able to lead the workplace Health, should be able to lead the workplace Health, environment, HIV and AIDS related events (see the environment, HIV and AIDS related events (see the example of task forces at Celtel Kenya and Nairobi example of task forces at Celtel Kenya and Nairobi Hotel Intercontinental. Hotel Intercontinental.



How cntd…How cntd…p)p) The peer educator hence must be sure that lower The peer educator hence must be sure that lower

needs are not endangered by Peer Education needs are not endangered by Peer Education (Abraham Maslow). E.g. (Abraham Maslow). E.g.

Safe means home (security) after long peer Safe means home (security) after long peer education session or community outreach education session or community outreach

Monetary reward/shopping voucher (for food or Monetary reward/shopping voucher (for food or gift to spouse and children) for goal achieved.gift to spouse and children) for goal achieved.

Guarantee that they will not lose overtime that Guarantee that they will not lose overtime that they would get at work if they were not carrying they would get at work if they were not carrying out Peer Educationout Peer Education

Modes of operation not interfering with own comfort Modes of operation not interfering with own comfort operations at work, not too much sacrificing of own operations at work, not too much sacrificing of own leisure time leisure time

Guarantee that they will not sacrifice basic Guarantee that they will not sacrifice basic needs that they would get at work if they were needs that they would get at work if they were not carrying out Peer Education e.g. not losing not carrying out Peer Education e.g. not losing lunchlunch



Taking care of the extrinsic factors Taking care of the extrinsic factors

1.1. Extrinsic : From outside. Extrinsic : From outside. Content Content orientedoriented: Examines characteristics : Examines characteristics of the task/work of the Peer of the task/work of the Peer Educators. It answers the question; Educators. It answers the question; how can we make work conditions how can we make work conditions for peer educators in a way that for peer educators in a way that maintains motivation?maintains motivation?



How ?How ?a)a) Effective guidance by the coordinator and managersEffective guidance by the coordinator and managers. .

i.i. Support required from the workplaceSupport required from the workplace Place and time to carry out sessionsPlace and time to carry out sessions Permission to attend meetings, training and activities Permission to attend meetings, training and activities IEC materials, stationery, audiovisual and other IEC materials, stationery, audiovisual and other

resources for activitiesresources for activities Motivation schemesMotivation schemes Moral support Moral support

ii.ii. Support from the coordinatorSupport from the coordinator Problem solvingProblem solving Material suppliesMaterial supplies Training , updates and advancement Training , updates and advancement

iii. iii. Monetary reward/shopping voucher (for food or gift to spouse Monetary reward/shopping voucher (for food or gift to spouse and children) for goal achieved.and children) for goal achieved.



Contd..Contd..iv.iv. Room for social interactions: outings, exchange visits, etcRoom for social interactions: outings, exchange visits, etc

ICRC Nairobi Logistics Peer Educatorsvi. Uniforms, bags, t-shirts etc for identification

Celebrating Volunteerism Peer Educators at a Peer Educator’s Day organized by NOPE in Dec 2005 at Mombasa,

Coast Province

v. Peer Education Should be fun



Conclusion!!!!!Conclusion!!!!!

Oserian ED leading at the 2005 WAD

By keeping the leadership alive: there is nothing so demoralizing By keeping the leadership alive: there is nothing so demoralizing than having a focal person/coordinator who is “dead” than having a focal person/coordinator who is “dead”

Sher Agencies Peer Educators at the launch of Sher HIV and AIDS Policy 2006:

Business

Keeping peer educators alive filberts oluoch