CONFIANZA (TRUST)
Adult Peer Outreach Program

Interested adults are trained to share reproductive health, family planning, and community resource information with friends, family members and others through the Confianza (Trust) peer outreach program.

Adults are recruited from target neighborhoods through word-of-mouth and local agencies, and receive 40 hours of training on pregnancy and disease prevention, healthy relationships, peer outreach, and community resources.

Following training, peer educators share information, prevention materials, and referrals with 40-50 peers through informal social interactions. Peer educators document peer contacts, and re-contact peers 2-3 months later to evaluate program impacts. Adult peer educators receive stipends for completion of peer outreach.

Program evaluation has shown that 75% of peers contacted by the peer educators were more knowledgeable about the topics discussed, 70% were referred to a clinic or other agency for assistance, 65% were more likely to limit sexual activity or use contraception, and over 30% actually obtained needed services.

Comments from peer educators include:

"My friends see me in a different light. Now they call me 'Mr. Sensitive' and 'Mr. Condom Man,' and now they come to me with their questions; it's a great feeling."

"My grandmother had never had a pelvic exam. I convinced her to do it, and they found something that could have turned into cancer."