Peer Education Program
Sexual Health Alcohol and Drug
Education for Students
What is a SHADES peer educator?
The SHADES Peer Education program stands for Sexual Health Alcohol and
Drug Education for Students and Peer Educators are focused on promoting a positive campus
community that reflects the attitudes, behaviors, and values of a
healthy lifestyle. The major topics addressed are sexual and
reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, and risks and
consequences of alcohol and drug use and abuse.
Peer Educators are student outreach presenters and advocates who are selected,
trained, and given ongoing supervision in a specific health topic area.
Training includes skills based training (e.g. listening skills, referral
skills and life balance) and additional specific topic training. P.E.’s
take part in creating, planning and implementing health awareness
weeks/months and programs throughout the UTSA community.
Peer Educators are dynamic individuals who are ready to make a significant
contribution to this campus. As a UTSA peer educator, you believe in
your ability to stimulate personal growth in yourself and others, and
you recognize this talent as vital for a healthier student community.
You understand that your contribution to this program will positively
affect yourself and the peers you reach.
I'd like SHADES Peer Educators to present to my group/dorm.
What programs do you offer?
Peer Educators can conduct programs on a number of topics including:
• SHADES presentation: Sex, drugs and college life
• Alcohol and other drugs
• Prescription Drug Misuse
•Sexual and Reproductive health
• Relationships: The Dating Game
I'd like the SHADES Peer Educators to present to my group/dorm. How do I request a
program to be scheduled?
If you're considering scheduling a program, follow these three simple steps:
1. Pick a topic — talk to your residents/members, talk to the Health
Education staff, consult with other groups/RAs. Make sure it's a topic of
interest to everyone and not just something that sounds good. Attendance will
depend on it.
2. Pick two or three dates with times that would be good for you and your
hall/organization.
3. Fill out the application below at least 2-3 weeks before you want the
program. You can also arrange a program directly with any member of the Health
Education staff. Note: Do not wait until the end of the semester to contact us
for a program. Program requests made late in the semester may be scheduled for
the following semester. Email your completed form to:
StudentHealthServices@utsa.edu.
Once you have requested a program, a peer educator will get in touch with you to finalize a time for
your presentation. You'll then want to talk with him or her more extensively to
figure out what exactly you want to be covered in your program and to arrange
all the logistics. Just prior to the program, the presenter(s) will contact you
to confirm all details related to the program.
What to Expect at a SHADES presentation
Our presentations are about 90 minutes with interaction,
information, and fun. We're always bringing freebies and goodie bags to
our participants.
Sexual Health
We talk about what sex means, what some of the outcomes can be,
and how to do it more safely. A discussion of abstinence, monogamy,
sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, condoms and other birth control are a part
of our presentation.
Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, prescription, club, and
predatory drugs--we discuss it all. We talk about that constitutes these
drugs, how they affect the body, health and legal consequences of using, and how
to lessen or stop the use of alcohol and other drugs.
Education for Students
SHADES Peer Educators have received thirty hours of training.
Our goal is not to blast everyone with bad news and say never drink or drive or
have sex. We intend to share the information we have learned and present
the issues in a safe environment so that each person can make his or her own
decision. Of course we promote the healthier choices, but these issues
have many as many SHADES of gray as there are people.
Thank you from the UTSA Peer Educators.
Remember…
When Rowdy, Be Ready and Responsible!
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