Peer Educators

Health Promotion Program

Md Habibullah -Coordinator

Mary Prince -Peer Educator

Health Promotion Service for Older People, Combined

Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW Inc.

(CPSA)

Established in 1991

Funded by NSW Ministry of Health – overseen by South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

Auspiced by Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW Inc.

Community education conducted by volunteer peer educators from CALD and English backgrounds

Falls Prevention, Medication Management, Oral Health Care, Diabetes Awareness and Osteoporosis

Is a free service

• Peer educators are trained to conduct informative

health-related discussions for seniors’ groups

• Peer educators come from a variety of language

backgrounds

We have peer educators who can speak:

ARABIC

CANTONESE

ENGLISH

FILIPINO

GERMAN

ITALIAN

MALTESE

TURKISH

ARMENIAN

DUTCH

FARSI

GREEK

HINDI

MANDARIN

SPANISH

VIETNAMESE

How does it Work?

• Promote through: placing flyers on the notice boards of

libraries and organisations, PEs, talk sessions, networking and

partner organisations

• Receive request, confirm booking and schedule PEs

• Send handouts and feedback forms to PE and organiser

• Maintain database

• PEs give talks

Quality Assurance:

• Receive feedback forms from PE, organiser and participants

• Provide feedback to PE or organiser if necessary

• Trainers are available to support PEs if necessary

Majority of the talks occur in

Sydney Metropolitan

Illawarra-Shoalhaven

Central Coast-Newcastle

RECRUITING PEER EDUCATORS

Step 1: Advertising

• Notice boards at local libraries and community organisations

• Ethnic community and local newspapers

• Through member organisations such as the Centre for Volunteering NSW

• By peer educators during the talk sessions

• Through SBS Radio

Step 2: Information package

• Talking to people about the work

• Send the information package

• Receive applications

Step 3: Selection of volunteers for training

• Select applicants for interview

• Phone interviews

• Send letters to all applicants

TRAINING PEER EDUCATORS

Step 1: Initial training

• Training conducted by Ex-Director of UTS Training and Development Services

• 3 days initial training that covers four training modules and medicine management

• Module 1 - Understanding the role of a Peer Educator

• Module 2 - Identifying and developing appropriate skills as a Peer Educator

• Module 3 - Health and welfare issues of older people

• Module 4 – Rights and roles of Health Professionals and Consumers

• Assessment task - presenting medicine management content

TRAINING PEER EDUCATORS

(Continued)

Step 2: Work experience

Trainee Peer Educators:

• Observe at least one peer education session in

the community

• Sit within the audience as a participant

• Learn about the peer educator’s role by talking

with participants, group leaders and the peer

educator.

TRAINING PEER EDUCATORS

(Continued)

Step 3: Final assessment

• Final assessment is held 3 to 4 weeks after the

initial training

• Module 5 – review & reflection of modules 1 - 4

• Feedback from Trainee Peer Educators

regarding field experience

• Final assessment through presenting a topic

• The PE are now ready to give talks as a peer

educator

TRAINING PEER EDUCATORS (Continued)

Step 4: Invite PEs to attend training on specific health topics o Falls Prevention

o Oral Health Care

o Diabetes Awareness

o Osteoporosis

8 hours training per health topic. Trainers are from relevant health organisations.

Session1: 4 hours training - Includes:

• Presentation on the health topic

• Introduction to the Peer Educators Presentation – Flipchart, overhead slides and PowerPoint formats

• Information resources – additional background

Session 2 is held one week after session 1

Session2: 4 hours training - Includes:

• Mini quiz in health topic

• PE presents 2-3 slides to the group

• Assessed by trainer and Peer reviewed

PEs are offered refresher training once a year per health topic

METHODS USED BY PEER

EDUCATORS TO DELIVER TALKS

THREE METHODS:

• DIDACTICS- FACE TO FACE

• FLIP CHART

• POWERPOINTS

THE USE OF FLIPCHARTS BY PEER

EDUCATORS

POWERPOINTS

SAMPLE BROCHURES

HPSOP Falls Prevention

community talks

Introduced in 2007

Trained by Falls Prevention Team, former South Eastern Sydney and

Illawarra Shoalhaven Area Health Services , currently SESLHD

Training Covers

What is fall?

Facts about falls

Why people fall?

What can be done about falls?

Importance of strength and balance

Health & Lifestyle checklist

Home safety checklist

Our success with falls program!

• Total sessions (2007/08 – 2010/11): 124

• Total participants (2007/08 – 2010/11): 3,668

Our success with other programs!

Medicine Management

• 155

• 4,165

Oral Health Care

• 135

• 3,197

Osteoporosis

• 108

• 3,042

Diabetes Awareness

• 108

• 3,038

Total number of sessions and participants

(2007/08 – 2010/11):

FEEDBACK OF EVALUATIONS

• Evaluations to participants (2011) = 821

• Feedback received = 41%

• Question: How did you rate the talk session overall?

2%0%

2%

17%

39% 40%

No Answer Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Excellent

CONTACT DETAILS

Health Promotion Service for Older People

C/ CPSA, Level 9, 28 Foveaux St

Surry Hills, NSW 2010

Phone: 02-9281 3588, 1800 451 488 (free call)

Fax: 02-9211 8700

Email: health@cpsa.org.au

Web: www.cpsa.org.au

ANY QUESTIONS