The
Peer Education Program of Los Angeles (PEP/LA) was incorporated
in 1990 and is a non-profit public benefit organization
that does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed,
gender or sexual orientation. All of PEP/LA's trainings,
outreach activities, evaluation and administrative responsibilities
are done by volunteers; there are no paid staff members.
We maintain a team of 20-25 multi-cultural teen peer educators
who are recruited from high schools, placement centers and
group homes in the Greater Los Angeles area. All of the
peer educators have received at least 24 hours of training
and attend bi-monthly meetings where they get medical updates
in HIV/AIDS, additional strategies for communication with
peers and information regarding their upcoming speaking
events.
In
2009, the PEP/LA peer educators met directly with more than
7,000 teens and 600 adults. We speak with many diverse groups
of parents, school administrators, psychologists, group
home staff members, probation officers, and medical
care providers ("Trainers") about HIV/AIDS information as it relates
specifically to teens. We highlight the effectiveness of
teen-to-teen education in adolescent health promotion and
positive sexuality.
Accompanied
by a volunteer adult facilitator, the peer educators lead
small group discussions for teens in schools, religious
organizations, residential facilities, runaway/homeless
drop-in shelters and drug rehabilitation centers. The peer
educators are matched as closely as possible to the demographics
and backgrounds of the recipient teens. A particular highlight
of PEP/LA educational outreach is the inclusion of our friends
living with HIV/AIDS who share their stories and personify
the urgency to take precautions to modify risk-taking behaviors
associated with HIV transmission.
PEP/LA
depends on individual contributions, corporate donations,
foundations and fundraisers to operationalize our goal of
decreasing the number of HIV infections in youth and
increasing the care, compassion, and hope of our friends
locally, nationally and internationally who live with
HIV/AIDS. To meet our goal, we need financial support for
the following four projects:
-
PEP/LA
Trainings and educational outreach: Reproduction of "Training
Manuals", purchase of educational resources,
distribution of informational handouts; office
supplies and rent for the PEP/LA office and training
venues; recruitment of multi-cultural teens;
bi-annual trainings for 30-40 peer educators,
adult facilitators and friends with HIV/AIDS; bi-monthly
meetings for volunteers ; supplies, transportation
and bus fares for educational outreach activities;
program promotion, publicity and evaluation;
volunteer incentives, such as T-shirts, daily
planners, PEP/LA pens, awards, buttons; more.
-
Establishment
of "PEP/Satellites": Promotion,
recruitment of youth, training and monitoring of
PEPs in underserved communities; development of
"PEP clubs in HIV/AIDS prevention" in schools
and youth organizations; stipends for the PEP
directors; materials and incentives for"
PEP/Satellite" participants; more.
-
"Empowerment
of friends living with HIV/AIDS": Honorariums
for participation at PEP/LA trainings, meetings and
events; transportation; comforts and
refreshments; more.
-
PEP/International
programs: Because of financial constraints
within so many developing countries requesting the two
week training program, we need funding for airfare,
development of materials, training supplies,
red ribbons, awards, certificates of completion,
participatory exercises and games, press releases,
pre/post-tests, gifts and presents, and laminated posters.
Upon arrival, the 'in situ' expenses include:
accommodations, meals, local transportation, travel
costs for training participants, training venue,
meals and refreshments for youth peer educators and
"Trainers" and PEP sustainability. The
two-week project, inclusive of all workshops,
presentations, seminars and meetings, averages $8,000
for the establishment of each international PEP. We seek
sponsors for pending programs in Haiti, Nigeria,
Togo, and for additional trainings in
Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
We
look forward to gaining your partnership with these very
worthwhile programs within PEP/LA. Your donation is tax
deductible and you will be directly contributing to
fighting the medical, emotional, social and economic
devastation of HIV/AIDS. Thanks for your serious
consideration.
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