Outcomes are reported from a qualitative investigation addressing ethnic label selection, meaning, use, and influences upon Mexican-origin youth. Participants selected multiple labels with distinct meanings and influences. Findings indicate a need for school counselors to honor student label selection and to advocate for variable label use by…

This leader manual and student workbook identify human relationship skills which will be valuable to peer helpers as they use their skills in their official roles. The first part of the leader manual discusses the organization and structure of a peer helper program; competencies of adult peer leaders; characteristics of effective helpers; program…

An active and successful peer advising program in a college setting is discussed. The assumption was that new students needed the support and advice of experienced counselors to help them develop academic competence, and upper-division students could provide that support. (MLW)

The article describes the implementation of Immediate Strategic Intervention, a counseling strategy which utilizes trained adolescent female friends to help during the first 24 hours of an emotional crisis (e.g., potential suicide). Middle school adolescents can be taught basic psychological concepts and utilize them in supporting friends and…

This manual was developed to facilitate the initial training of a group of pre-retirement peer counselors and to introduce them to the basics of helping for clients facing pre-retirement issues. An introduction explains the use of the manual and urges users to complete suggested exercises when reading the manual. The next section lists learning…

In 1981 students in the School of Business at Ithaca College initiated the concept of peer advising to supplement faculty efforts. The selection process, questions for peer advising interviews, interviewing ratings, training, and role-playing situations for peer advising are discussed. (MLW)

Little research has been conducted in an effort to clarify the legal ramifications involved in the support services a guidance department may offer in a typical high school. Of particular interest are the liabilities to which counselors, principals, and other school personnel might be subjected in guidance departments having peer assistance…

Counseling skills can be taught to high school students who enter inner-city peer counselor training programs with few of the interpersonal communication skills that are essential to effective counseling, by using an incremental approach that includes intensive practice. The following skills can be introduced and demonstrated incrementally by the…

Peer advisors can often help entering freshmen adjust to the environment of a large university by serving as experience guides, advisors, confidantes, or friends, to whom the new students can easily related. The Peer Advising Program at Iowa State is described. (Author/MLW)

A survey of counseling services at 156 college campuses indicated that most offered peer counseling activities. Results are discussed in six sections: (1) peer counselor roles; (2) problems encountered; (3) quality of peer counselors and clients; (4) peer counselor training; (5) institutional constraints--funding; and (6) summary and implications.…

The consequences of alcohol and drug abuse on college campuses across the United States has been well documented. Designed to bring the problems related to drug and alcohol abuse into focus, this training manual is a compilation of seminars created to allow facilitators (counselors, professionals, trainers) to train students as peer educators. The…

This paper offers a synthesized review of the literature on student peer facilitator programs, in order to investigate and substantiate many of the ways in which peer facilitator programs extend and strengthen a guidance counselor's mission in the school. After an introductory discussion of the foundations and goals of successful peer facilitator…

Students-Teach-Students is a program that trains teams of high school students to present a smoking education program and role-model to fifth graders, helping them to overcome peer pressure to smoke cigarettes and marijuana. Surveys show that a significant percentage of students first begin to experiment with smoking cigarettes and marijuana…

This manual on peer counseling in higher education describes the theory and techniques used for this practice. The first chapter, on academic peer counseling, uses V. Tinto's synthesis of the literature to illustrate the theory and stages of peer counseling based on academic and social integration models. The second chapter discusses the qualities…

Written to meet the affective need of adolescent students to share their feelings and concerns with supportive listeners, this document contains 50 guided discussions on various topics relating to three focus areas: the self, the self and others, and stress. Under the focus of the self topics include: personal strengths and limitations; behind the…