MCKINLEY’S PEER EDUCATION PROGRAM

Are you passionate about and dedicated to building a stronger, healthier campus community? Want to inspire and empower your peers to be well? Committed to being a leader in health and wellness?

McKinley Wellness Peers:

  • Make an impact on how other Illinois students care for their holistic health and well-being.
  • Use creativity and experiences to influence wellness priorities.
  • Consider and advocate for other student’s wellness needs.
  • Engage other students while facilitating health education workshops related to sexual health, nutrition, stress management, and multicultural health.
  • Plan and implement wellness events and outreach including social media campaigns.
  • Build community and connect with other leaders on campus.
  • Grow personally and professionally- strengthening public speaking skills, self-awareness, knowledge of health and wellness, and more!
  • Become an integral part of McKinley’s Health Education Unit and McKinley Health Center.

 

Commitments & Requirements:

  • Must be a current University of Illinois student on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
  • Submit the online Application of Interest (interview may be conducted).
  • Attend the mandatory training(s) the peer group you are interested in requires.
  • Volunteer an average of 8-15 hours per month. This includes weekly meetings, trainings, facilitating workshops and other various activities. Hours and commitments vary within each peer group.
  • We would ideally like for our Wellness Peers to make a minimum of a 1 year commitment.

 

How to apply:

  • Review descriptions of each peer group below and decide which area of health you enjoy focusing on.
  • Ensure you can fulfill the Commitments & Requirements including individual peer group requirements.
  • Submit Application of Interest during recruitment period for the respective peer group you are applying for. Note: some peer groups do have an application deadline.
  • Any questions can be sent to mhcpeered@illinois.edu or directly to the group’s Coordinator.

 

McKinley's Special Populations Peers

Students in Special Populations will gain a variety of learning experiences including planning, implementing and evaluating illness prevention/health promotion programs aimed at supporting diverse student populations. Members of Special Populations will be trained and equipped with information that will enable them implement programs that are designed to encourage/enhance attitudes and factors that promote healthy behaviors and subsequently, discourage risk factors that encourage/promote unhealthy behaviors. Some of the areas or topics of interests are, cross-cultural health, health disparities, health issues of concerns among various ethnicities, access to health care services and general wellness. Special Populations will acquire skills in leadership, fundraising, public relations, organizing campus wide wellness campaigns, research, and opportunities to collaborate with healthcare providers on and off campus.

Applicants: Students should have majors in Allied Health Sciences or College of Education
Group Capacity: 30 – 35
When to Join: Recruitment occurs at the start of fall and spring semester (can accept members throughout the year if an opening is available).

McKinley's Nutrition Peers

Nutrition Peers provide students studying FSHN a unique opportunity to take their academic knowledge and learn how to address campus wide nutrition concerns that affect their peers and the campus community. As a Nutrition Peer, you will be leading the charge that demonstrates to your peers what a healthy diet looks like while respecting your relationship with food and your body. You will help to normalize intuitive eating, healthy food habits, how food affects our bodies and how toxic diet culture is on campus. Dietetic students will be trained, educated, and mentored by a McKinley Dietitian.

Applicants: Must be enrolled in FSHN and must be available on Fridays at 9am for weekly meetings.

Group Capacity: 12

When to Join: Recruitment occurs at the start of the fall and spring semester pending position openings.

McKinley's Sexual Health Peers

Sexual Health Peers (SHPs) are working to change the way we talk about sexual health on campus by providing inclusive, affirming, pleasure focused sex education. SHPs facilitate workshops, host tablings, and develop social media content to normalize conversations about sexual health. SHPs also help connect other students to sexual health care and resources.

Applicants: Students with majors in Community Health, Social Work, GWS are encouraged to apply, but students from all majors are welcome. Must be able to attend weekly meetings.

Group Capacity: 20

When to Join: New members can join at the beginning of fall and spring semesters.

McKinley's Stress Management Peers

Stress Management Peers are dedicated to providing education & awareness to U of I students on stress related topics and concerns. While embracing the diversity of our campus, we connect with students through facilitation of workshops, participation in campus-wide program planning and other organized events.

Applicants: Students with all majors are encouraged to apply.

Group Capacity: 30

When to Join: New members can join at the beginning of fall and spring semesters.