Resources: Workplace - Help give peer education a voice

Fast Forward, a voluntary health education organisation for young people focusing on preventing drug, alcohol and tobacco misuse, was one of the first organisations in Scotland to involve young people in its work as peer educators. As the practice became widespread, the organisation found itself contacted by other agencies for advice on setting up peer education projects. The organisation became aware projects were working in isolation and that there was a need to find a way of co-ordinating projects and improving communication.

The solution

The work to meet this challenge started two years ago, when Paul Hunter was taken on by the organisation as national peer education development officer with funding from the Scottish Executive. He continued the work that had begun on a mapping exercise to establish where peer education was being used in Scotland and in which sectors.