TEAL (Team for Empowerment, Advocacy, and Leadership) Peer Educators are a group of trained students who provide peer support to UMW students concerned about sex-and-gender-based violence. TEAL partners with clubs, classes, residence halls, and other groups across campus to create student-centered programming and training. The program is supported by the Center for Prevention and Education. TEAL peer educators are not required to report to the Title IX Coordinator. Visit our TEAL Peer Educators webpage to meet and/or contact our current TEAL Peer Educators. If you have questions or want to learn more about the TEAL program, please contact Marissa Miller, Director, Center for Prevention and Education, at mmille23@umw.edu or 540-654-1193.
Applications Process
TEAL will consist of a group of students who have vested interests in sex-and-gender-based violence issues, prevention, and advocacy. During the Spring semester, TEAL will receive substantive training on various forms of sex-and-gender-based violence, pedagogy, advocacy, prevention, bystander intervention, resources, and university policy. TEAL will work with the Center for Prevention and Education (CPE) to develop and implement campus programming designed to educate the student body about sex-and-gender-based violence, resources, ways to help intervene, talking to students about their options, etc. Certified TEAL Peer Educators will facilitate educational modules and informational sessions for incoming and current student groups. These modules may include interactive workshops, formal presentations, theatrical pieces, public forums, tabling, and much more. Lastly, TEAL Peer Educators will receive a $150 stipend for the University Bookstore for books and school supplies.
List of Requirements
- Freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student
- Good interpersonal skills
- Strong presentation skills or willingness to learn
- Ability to work as a team member
- Good academic and student conduct standing (2.80 overall GPA required for sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students)
- Fall semester GPA will be used for freshmen for continuation in the program in the spring
- Ability to meet time commitments for training and peer education programming
- Pre-Semester Training: January 10-13, 2024
- The remainder of the training will occur weekly during the first six weeks. The group will select the date and time based on academic schedules for Spring 2024.
- Interest in participating in community outreach
- Optional: Professional Reference (Faculty, staff, supervisor, coach, etc.)
- Optional: Resume/CV
Application Links
- myUMW Application
- myUMW Reference Form
- Option 1: Please share the link above for your reference to complete
- Option 2: Download a copy of the TEAL Reference document and share it with your reference
Your reference will upload their responses, attach the form to an email, or send a hard copy to our office. If you are applying as a freshman, please consider a referral from a high school teacher, counselor, mentor, coach, volunteer coordinator, etc.
Training
TEAL Peer Educators usually complete 35-40 hour training with various partners on and off-campus. Some of our training in the past have included the following topics:
- Accessibility Partners (Office of Disability Resources)
- Advocacy Training (Empowerhouse)
- Bystander Intervention (CPE)
- Domestic Violence 101 (Empowerhouse)
- Mental Health First Aid Kit (Talley Center for Counseling Services)
- NASPA Certified Peer Educator (CPE)
- Safe Zone Training (Safe Zone)
- Self-Care and Vicarious Trauma (RCASA)
- Sexual Violence 101 (RCASA)
- Socialization, Media, and Rape Culture (RCASA)
- Speaking Center Workshop (Speaking Center)
- Title IX (Title IX Coordinator)