Do you distinguish between peers that are paid and volunteers?

The peer programs associated with the three peer education training sites of this initiative work with paid peers. However, some programs use volunteer peers. This can be a good opportunity for those who wish to seek employment as a peer to gain experience and training. In order to truly recognize and value peer work, it is optimal to offer compensation whenever possible. This may be in the form of incentives like gift cards or stipends. While stipends are not salaries, they are an excellent way to reward and compensate peers for their time and hard work. Transportation reimbursement is also a good way to help peers fulfill their role.

More information:

• Recruiting, Hiring and Orienting Peers (PDF), part of the Building Blocks to Peer Program Success toolkit for developing HIV peer programs

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