Peer Education: the Impact of Volunteering on Students

With a growing importance placed on educating students to be socially and culturally conscious global citizens, universities and colleges are called upon to place more emphasis on personal exploration and developing self-awareness by encouraging students to delve into the meaning and purpose of their life activity. Peer education can play a significant role in providing students with opportunities to participate in community service. Not only are they helping fellow students, peer educators gain hands-on work experience, reflect on their learning and build a host of skills that are sometimes not fostered in the classroom. This book examines how student peer educators at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in British Columbia, Canada, were impacted by their volunteer experience as they transitioned from university to the world of work and citizenship. This research draws attention to the vast leadership skills and personal competencies student volunteers gain in their role as peer educators. The results should be especially useful to higher education staff or anyone considering experiential learning programs.