PSYC 294 - Peer Advocacy

Credit(s): 3
Lecture: 2
Non-Lecture: 3
This seminar course offers students intensive training in and practical experiences with basic helping skills. Peer advocates staff a student-to-student helpline under the close supervision of the supervising instructor, a licensed mental health professional. Peer advocates also help to train and evaluate volunteer trainees (who do not receive credit) by demonstrating skills and providing trainees with practice opportunities and feedback in weekly small group sessions. Trainee performance is evaluated via oral, written, and practical exams; those who demonstrate skill mastery are eligible to enroll as peer advocates the following semester. Peer advocates and trainees participate in a mandatory weekly seminar to discuss ethical, organizational, and practical issues and for ongoing training and supervision. M ay be taken twice for credit. Sophomore, junior or senior standing; two semesters of full-time study completed at Geneseo; overall GPA of 3.00. Students may enroll in the peer advocacy seminar only following successful completion of formal training the semester prior to enrollment. Offered by individual arrangement.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.