Respect Translates into Engagement

This article previously appeared in The BACCHUS Network’s The Peer Educator magazine.

It happens from time to time with most peer education groups: your organization may find difficulties keeping members engaged and excited about the work they are doing on your campus.

As peer educators, we understand students are extremely busy with classes, jobs, and commitments to multiple other campus organizations. It often becomes difficult to juggle everything, and we want to make sure members see peer education as an important part of their college experience – something that enriches their lives and is not viewed as an inconvenience or uncomfortable activity.

Peer education groups often focus on recruiting new members while forgetting to keep their experienced, “veteran” members involved. New members are known for bringing enthusiasm into an organization, but without experienced students to lead the way, project organization and execution can be very difficult.

We would like to share these tips to keep your members excited about being a part of your peer education group – please keep them in mind as you work throughout the year.

Respect Time

College students are extremely busy, and meetings sometimes drag on longer than intended. While it is great to spend time together, excessive time commitments can encroach on other valued activities. Although spending a lot of time with peer education can be very rewarding, a stressful schedule can make students feel overworked and they may lose focus on why they joined your organization in the first place. Remember to respect your peer educators’ time so that they do not feel overwhelmed.

Respect Opinions

Sometimes when a group gets into its “groove”, it often does something the way it has always been done. If you ask for new ideas, be certain that you use them. If you disagree with an idea, instead of attacking the idea, suggest improvements.

Also, consider sitting down with your members on a regular basis or sending out an online survey to ask them about the organization. Ask them how things can be improved or how they believe the group is doing. Knowing their opinions are being heard makes a person more willing to stick with the group. Remember to always be thankful for member contributions and to positively handle suggestions.

Respect Backgrounds

No two people are 100% identical, and peer education groups are often extremely diverse. Everyone has unique talents that can lead your organization to success. Remember to value everyone for who they are and what they bring to the group.

Respect Their Efforts

Peer education is not always easy; sometimes the work is very frustrating, and sometimes it seems nobody appreciates the efforts we are making. When you see a member is devoting a lot of time to your organization, go out of your way to give them recognition for their dedication.

You can do this by simply sending a thank you note (a handwritten card goes a long way!), by choosing a member of the week or month, or by nominating your students for an award at your regional conference or at the General Assembly in November.

The feeling of being valued in an organization is a powerful motivational tool and will definitely help with morale. Remember to always remind your students they are positively impacting countless lives and thank them for their efforts.

Respect Future Goals

Make sure all of the peer educators in your group are getting something out of their time commitment. Peer educators do a lot for their fellow students, but in the process they sometimes forget to spend time helping themselves.

Ask your members what they expect to get out of your organization and attempt to help them achieve their goals. Remember to always check on your members to ensure they are doing okay and they are getting the most out of your organization.

We hope that by respecting the time, opinions, backgrounds, efforts, and goals of the peer educators in your organization, you can keep them engaged and enthusiastic about the work that they are doing on your campus.