Peer Advocates

Qualifications

• Youth between the ages of 15 and 18.

• Resident of the community for at least six months, with some evidence of involvement in community or school activities.

• Interest in and commitment to the purposes of the project.

• Demonstrated awareness of community characteristics and social relations.

• Knowledge of violence issues.

• Outgoing, adaptable, persistent, and not easily provoked or angered.

• Literate, at minimum, in Spanish.

Duties
To serve as an indigenous community resource aimed at supporting and promoting youth school success and alternative pathways/identities, reducing involvement in violence, reducing dependence on social settings/peers involved in violence, and to direct youth to academic support services when needed. Specific tasks will include: 1) resolving problems between Latino students and the school, facilitating solutions; 2) providing advocacy and referrals to Latino students who need assistance or services; 3) conducting “school acculturation training” for new immigrant students or other students who have difficulty with the school setting; 4) providing outreach and directing youth to activities and services at the SAFER Latinos Drop-In Center (tutoring/academic support, mentoring, job awareness and training, leadership training, recreation); 5) serving as role models; 6) in some cases, providing advice and early mediation to prevent potential conflicts and violence. Peer Advocates will not and cannot intervene directly (except to refer) where violence or conflict is already occurring or where illegal/criminal activity is involved. Peer Advocates will not take direct referrals for: 1) drug abuse cases; 2) child abuse cases or family violence; 3) mediating a violent altercation already in progress; or 4) situations where there is clear evidence beforehand of illegal activities such as drug sales, a planned violent action, trafficking/prostitution, or other similar activities that would put the Peer Advocate in danger or expose him/her to legal liability. If requests or referrals are come with respect to any of these situations, the Peer Advocate or staff member taking the referral will refer the individual to an appropriate service (domestic violence unit, child protective services, etc.).

Referral Paths
These duties will be carried out via several channels: 1) as part of regularized contact and presence at local schools, via an agreed protocol; 2) by direct request from schools; 3) by direct request/referral from youth and students themselves; 4) by informal referral from local service agencies or in some cases police; 5) by formal referral from social or community services.

Training
All Peer Advocates will participate in a training period that will include extensive role playing activities and cover the following topics:

1. Background on the study, its goals and processes.

2. Role and duties of Peer Advocates.

3. Communication, facilitation and mediation skills.

4. Outreach methods.

5. Available academic support and job awareness/preparation services, making contacts and referrals.

6. Limits of Peer Advocate duties, exclusion criteria and procedures, confidentiality, and safety.