From 2003 to 2006, I worked at the Crescent, where we successfully implemented a Peer Education programme that significantly supported the sexual health needs of African communities in Hertfordshire over three years.

The goal was not only to increase awareness and understanding of safer sexual health practices in these communities but to do so effectively through Peer Educators.

I was responsible for recruiting and training several Peer Educators. My role was instrumental in providing them with the necessary resources and guidance to influence the sexual health behaviour of their peers.

The evaluation of the programme aimed to identify the short and intermediate-term benefits, with the hope that this would lay the groundwork for more in-depth impact studies in the future.

The programme achieved several key outcomes:

• Twenty-one Peer Educators completed the course, gaining a solid understanding of HIV and related issues.

• The educators developed the skills necessary to engage with their peers in appropriate contexts confidently.

• Ongoing support was provided to the Peer Educators through open access to The Crescent.

• The Peer Educators helped raise awareness about HIV in Hertfordshire through outreach and other health interventions.

The Peer Education programme demonstrated the effectiveness of several methodologies:

• An adult learning and low literacy teaching approach

• Short, focused training sessions instead of full-day courses

• Peer support for conducting education in sexual health settings

The programme evaluation indicated an increase in HIV and sexual health knowledge, safer sex practices, and interpersonal skills among Peer Educators. They reported high satisfaction levels with the training content, structure, and personnel. Additionally, The Crescent gained valuable insights into selection criteria, incentive systems, and supervision structures.

This peer education model proved effective and should be further developed to expand its potential benefits in Hertfordshire.