Peer Health Educator Internship Information

TITLE: SHCWS Peer Health Educator Student Assistant Internship
LENGTH OF EMPLOYMENT: Summer 2024 – Spring 2025 (August 2024 through May 2025)
DEPARTMENT: Health and Wellness Promotion at SHCWS
HOURS: 15 – 20 hours/week
LOCATION: In-person, On-Campus

Interested in health & wellness at Sac State? All majors are encouraged to apply! Academic internship opportunities available through academic department with prior approval.

Department Summary

Sac State Student Health, Counseling & Wellness Services provides an integrated approach to care combining both physical, mental and various needs of our students. This approach acknowledges the intricate connection between mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness, recognizing that a person's mental health cannot be isolated from their overall health. SHCWS is accredited by the Accreditation Association of Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). SHCWS is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment. All students are welcome to apply regardless of age, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, immigration status, religious beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, size, or socioeconomic status.

Broad Scope & Function

Peer Health Educators (PHEs) actively promote health and wellness at Sac State, serving as an important connection between Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS), basic needs programs, and the campus community. Through classroom presentations, workshops, special events, and other activities, PHEs provide accurate information and positive support to help students reduce their health risks and increase wellness. They encourage informed choices on a variety of wellness issues, provide resources and referrals, and promote a fun, healthy and safe campus environment, and student lifestyle.

PHEs are trained to facilitate workshops, presentations, and outreach events on a variety of health topics affecting our diverse student population. As part of the internship experience, you will work with a team to build skills in planning and implementing educational programs and special events; build leadership and communication skills; receive training and work collaboratively across a variety of health and wellness topics; serve your fellow Hornets and the campus community; and most importantly HAVE FUN!

PHEs help to create a campus ecosystem that supports health & well-being as a priority at the University.

PHEs provide outreach and education on resources to help positively impact students' mental health, reduce academic barriers related to wellness, and well-being resources to support the college experience.

PHEs will gain knowledge and skills related to the following topic areas, as well as other emerging health topics:

• Mental Health & Well-being: Addresses mental health and emotional wellness (such as depression, anxiety, stress management, eating disorders, body image and suicide prevention) and reduces stigma associated with mental health and treatment.
• Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs (ATOD): Focuses on reducing harm related to risk alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and other substance use (including opioid prevention & Narcan) through group and individual education, peer-to-peer support and interactive events.
• Healthy Relationships: Provides information about reproductive health, safer sex practices, communication, relationship skills, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and stalking prevention education.
• Nutrition & Food Security: Provides education on balanced nutrition, healthy cooking, food security, CalFresh application assistance, and food sustainability. PHEs offers a variety of nutrition education activities, including cooking demonstrations and presentations.
• CARES & Basic Needs: Provides outreach and education on resources through trauma-informed care to help positively impact students' mental health, health care and reduce academic barriers related to basic needs insecurities. PHEs provide knowledge and information about on and off campus resources for students, assists through referral and resource education, connects students with the resources, and meets with students to review emergency grant non-qualified scholarships for basic needs insecurities.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities Related to this Position

Through classroom presentations, workshops, special events, and other activities, PHEs provide accurate information and positive support to help students reduce their health risks and increase wellness. They encourage informed choices on a variety of wellness concerns, provide resources and referrals, and promote a fun, healthy and safe campus environment.

• Assists and facilitates with planning, design, and implementation, and evaluation of wellness programs and activities, including but not limited to presentations, workshops, outreach events, education demonstrations, and training.
• Attends, supports, and/or leads wellness workshops, trainings, and/or group sessions.
• Develop educational and promotional materials, including but not limited to marketing materials, social media posts, videos, reels, flyers, brochures.
• Participate in weekly meetings and continued job-related and pre-professional development trainings, as scheduled
• Assists and represents SHCWS at campus wellness outreach activities, presentations, and special events for campus community.
• Meets with students and educates them about on and off campus resources, including how to apply for basic needs non-qualified scholarship emergency grants.
• Assist in conducting on-going needs assessments to inform program planning.
• Assist in compiling statistics and data collection according to chosen methodology as directed.
• Assist in receiving and accounting for educational resources and restocking supplies.
• Staffs the Wellness Office front desk as needed, including:
  • Answering and screening telephone calls, determining the nature of the call and responding directly or referring to appropriate department staff member.
  • Performing receptionist skills such as greeting patients and scheduling appointments.
• Maintains confidentiality of students/clients.
• Assist with general departmental needs and other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule

Set work schedule on weekdays, with some nights and for events and outreach purposes. Schedule works around student’s class schedule.

• Available to work 15 – 20 hours per week.
• Mandatory Attendance at Training and Student Assistant meetings bi-monthly Fridays 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
• Attendance for orientation and training with the wellness department that may occur during the month prior to instruction beginning each semester (August 2024 & January 2025, exact dates TBD) is required.

Reporting Relationship

This position reports directly to the HWP Health Promotion Specialist(s) and Associate Director of Health & Wellness Promotion.

Typical Physical Requirements

• Sit for extended periods of time; frequently stand and walk; manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; excellent verbal communication; knowledge of use and operation of office equipment including computers, telephones, calculators, copy machines, fax machines, scanners, and printers.
• Perform work at a computer display terminal.
• Ability to move items that are 25-50 lbs.
• Communicate with groups for extended periods of time.

Evaluation Procedures

Students develop goals at the beginning of the year and discuss progress of goals throughout year with supervisor(s). There are end-of-semester and end-of-year evaluations for all student assistants.

Minimum Qualifications

• Enrolled Sacramento State student (6 units or more) in both the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters.
• Ability to learn and perform assigned work
• Follow oral instructions and effective oral & written communication skills at all levels
• Work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and other students
• Demonstrated experience including but not limited to working with a diverse work force.
• Knowledge of social media platforms and content development with special focus on Instagram (Stories, Reels, Posts) and Canva.
• Be in good academic standing (minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA) and maintain good academic standing through term of employment.
• Demonstrate self-motivation, initiative, and strong desire to learn and ability to work well on a team.
• Able to perform student assistant job duties and adhere to Student Health, Counseling, & Wellness Services policies and procedures.
• Possess strong communication and organization skills and ability to balance multiple projects/tasks simultaneously.
• Commitment to employment for full academic year.
• Demonstrated ability to work well independently as well as in group situations.
• Ability to self-direct work, manage complex tasks, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent time management skills and organization skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to learn how to use an Electronic Health Record & follow requirements of HIPPA to maintain privacy and confidentiality

Special Conditions

All employees of SHCWS must provide vaccination records to screen for immunity to the vaccine preventable diseases below. All SHCWS employees are required to complete tuberculosis screening (TB). Employees will be required to provide documentation of immunizations or lab work within 2 weeks of start date.

• MMR (2 doses) or labs showing proof of immunity
• Varicella (2 doses) or labs showing proof of immunity
• Tdap (within past 10 years)
• Hepatitis B (3 doses) or labs showing proof of immunity
• PPD (TB test) – upon hire and annually
• Annual flu vaccine (or a signed declination and must wear a mask during flu season)
• Covid Vaccine records (not required but highly encouraged)

Participation in annual infection control and fire safety training is required for position. Agree to follow campus and safety measures.

No later than the first two weeks of employment, complete and provide valid proof of the following:

• FERPA tutorial and test
• HIPPA privacy and security trainings
• Other designated trainings as assigned

Selected candidates will need to provide work eligibility documents and complete hiring paperwork for Human Resources/Payroll/SHCWS. This position requires LiveScan and clearance prior to hiring.