Explore AFG

Peer Educators

Peer Educators are a unique resource for Alternatives For Girls. Young people, whose personal experiences mirror many of those that other participants bring to AFG, connect with teens on the streets and in community settings. Teams of Peer Educators facilitate workshops at dozens of Metro- Detroit sites on topics such as HIV/ STI prevention, anger management, self-esteem building, healthy relationships, consequences of alcohol and drug use, and more.

To become a Peer Educator, young women age 15 to 19 must undergo training and have at least one risk factor in their lives, such as trouble in school, being sexually active, or being affected by alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

Youth Street Outreach

Youth Street Outreach teams travel around the Detroit community (including Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park) to talk with young women age 13 to 21 who may be at risk for homelessness or sexual exploitation. They pass out a Teen Help Cards which list multiple resources including youth shelters, domestic violence hotlines, GLTB resources, and health care resources.

The program not only benefits Peer Educators, but the community at large. One Peer Educator on the Youth Street Outreach team said that she likes the program because she can "…give a lot of knowledge to girls in the community." At the same time, she has been able to "…learn a lot of stuff here I probably wouldn't learn for awhile."

Community Outreach

Peer Educators conduct a series of workshops in the community about HIV prevention, gang involvement prevention, life skill development, and more. Peer Educators facilitate the workshops as well as provide input on the curriculum.

A Community Outreach Peer Educator says that she likes being able to see the same teen girls in the community week after week and developing a relationship with them. Ultimately, she loves being a PE because, "Every day is a new experience and it has made me into a better person."

Internet Outreach

As part of a brand-new initiative funded by the Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health, AFG was selected as a grantee to lead the country in developing best practices for risk reduction, peer education, evaluation, and safety to reach out to young women at risk for HIV who engage in risky internet activities.

For more information about the Peer Educator Program, please contact:

Deena Policicchio
Director, AFG Outreach
Phone: (313) 361-4000
E-mail: dpolicicchio@alternativesforgirls.org

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My name is Natalie. I’m 17 years old, and I’m a senior in high school. I’ve been a part of Alternatives For Girls as a Peer Educator for two-and-a-half years now. I have made the difference in the lives of countless young women, and I wake up every day proud that I am impacting my community in a positive way.

Before I came to Alternatives For Girls, I was lost and unsure of my purpose. The only friend I had in the entire world was my father. He did the best he could and it’s nothing shy of amazing to see how far we’ve come.

Some people spend their whole lives searching for their purpose. I feel very fortunate to have found mine early on. I’ve seen growth in the young ladies we facilitate to and it’s a feeling like none other to be a part of the solution. Those are the types of things Alternatives For Girls provides you with. You know, the irreplaceable priceless things like positive relationships and knowledge that will last a lifetime.

My future is as bright as the sun. As I matriculate out of high school to college I strive to be the best person I could possibly be. I intend to major in non-profit management and minor in broadcast media. My ultimate goal is to open an Alternatives For Girls in every state to give young ladies everywhere the same opportunities that I have.