Student to Student Support

students sitting on grass talking

The Wellness Peer Advisory Council (WellPAC) is a student-led health & wellness organization that promotes healthy choices among FLC students. WellPAC reaches out to the campus through a humanistic approach, meeting students where they are at with their physical, social, and emotional health.

Through educational programs, small groups, outreach efforts, and the ongoing Peer Support service, WellPAC supports students in being happy, healthy, and successful at FLC.

Get Involved, Make Your Life Better

Members participate in programs and services on campus that genuinely change lives and build a healthier, safer campus community.

  • Make new friends
  • Travel to national and regional conferences
  • Build your resume and gain experience in a variety of professional fields
  • Create and accomplish your own personal wellness goals.
  • Get training and certification with NASPA as a Certified Peer Educator
  • Serve on the leadership team (academic credit may be available)
  • Serve on WellPAC’s Peer Support team

Email Kendra at kgreichle@fortlewis.edu to get involved. 

Real Experience Changing Lives

Student with #It's On Us written on her hand

As a WellPAC member, you can get experience organizing:

  • Alcohol Screenings & Education
  • Sexual Health Education & Resources
  • Tobacco Education & Cessation Groups
  • Mental Health Awareness Campaigns & Resources
  • Safe Spring Break Preparation
  • Sexual Assault Prevention
  • Healthy Eating Education & Resources

We'd be happy to present an educational program for your organization or class.
Request a WellPAC presentation

 

Certified Peer Educator (CPE) Training

From BACCHUS Initiatives of NASPA

CPE training is an effective strategy for building a well-educated and sustainable peer education group. CPE Training helps peer educators develop leadership skills to be able to successfully create and implement campus programs. The training includes eight modules, covering the role of peer education, helping peers make a behavior change, listening skills, response and referral skills, how to take action and intervene, recognizing the role of diversity and inclusivity, programming and presentation skills, self-care, and group dynamics.

Initially launched by the BACCHUS Network in 1994, the Certified Peer Educator program has been an asset to health and wellness peer educators, leading to the certification of more than 200,000 individuals since its inception. As the higher education landscape has evolved, so have the roles of peer educators - whether in the capacity of traditional health and wellness peer educators, resident advisors, or orientation leaders. Campuses are relying on their students to be curators of change and support systems for their peers, and the CPE program provides foundational-level skills to allow these students to be successful. Throughout the 12 hour, 8 module course, students will hone their skill-sets to be effective peer educators and leaders.

What Does CPE Training Include?

CPE is a comprehensive, 12-hour foundation training suitable for any collegiate peer education group. This training is broken up into 8 distinct modules. The course can be taught during a training over a long weekend, or throughout a semester as part of a course. The modules and skill-sets that your students will develop include:

  1. Understanding the Power, Roles, and Characteristics of Quality Peer Educators
  2. Affecting and Understanding “Change Making” as a Peer Educator
  3. Being an Effective Listener as a Peer Educator
  4. A Peer Educator’s Role in Responding to Crisis
  5. Bystander Intervention as a Peer Education Technique
  6. Intrapersonal Applications of Identity as a Peer Educator
  7. Putting the “Educator” in Peer Educator
  8. Group Development and Moving Forward

Interested in the upcoming Certified Peer Educator training?

Email peersupport@fortlewis.edu for current details on upcoming training opportunities.

What is Peer Support?

Peer support is a team of trained students who are available to privately talk about and provide support/guidance about the everyday struggles that students face, such as imposter syndrome, finding identity, anxiety, time management, navigating relationships, sex, changing behavior to feel better, conflict management, or other difficult conversations.

What's better than students helping students in higher education? Not much! Students report that they are more comfortable with talking about sensitive and personal life subjects with peers than their mentors, faculty, or staff. We believe this is true to the shared student experience - the idea that we are going through this journey together.

The Peer Support team are NASPA Certified Peer Educators trained in Motivational interviewing, sexual health, bystander intervention, Diversity and Identity orientation, or others.

If you’re interested in booking with Peer Support, visit the WellPAC Peer Support page, where you’ll find more information about the program, as well as the link to book an appointment yourself.

*Peer Support is a private service that practices similar to a confidential service; however, we are not counselors and cannot offer legal confidentiality. We will protect your privacy in every way possible. By law and FLC Policy, we are required to report certain dangerous circumstances to the person of concern report or title IX. Please understand that these reports are made for your safety and are the best way to help the campus form a net of safety and support for our students. You can learn more about our privacy limits and professional boundaries on our consent form.