Peer Ministry :: Adult Facilitator Support

Student Interviews of Churches that are Using Peer Ministry

#13 Interview APR, 2005
Wittenberg University,Springfield, Ohio

Interviewed Rachel Meier, Peer Helper and student

Interviewed by Anna Gotschall

Community Description:

Springfield, Ohio is a rural-urban area.

Wittenberg:

Wittenberg is a university that emphasizes Christian beliefs throughout the campus body. 2200-2300 students attend the college. Of that there are 22 active students within Peer Helpers, 1 director, and an advisory board that consists of 7-8 people.

What are Peer Helpers?

Similar to Peer Ministry, but they don’t advertise as a ministry so as not to turn people away. They are basically active listeners.

Do you do the same things as Peer Ministry such as lead Bible studies?

No. We formally and informally talk with students on a daily basis. 97 percent of contact logs are done through informal meetings such as talking with friends, people in class, and just noticing others around that may need to talk. We meet together every other week.

What do you discuss when you meet?

We catch up on who people have been interacting with and how effective the Peer Helpers are. This is the time when we bounce ideas off of each other. Let’s say one person I talked to has an alcohol addiction. Since I may not know how to relate to that person, I talk with other Peer Helpers who may have an idea. Keep in mind that this is strictly confidential. We do not say exactly who the person is.

What is your training like?

At our meetings, we train for specific questions and problems that we may come across when talking with students. Some of our topics have included relationships (boyfriend/girlfriend, roommate), homosexuality, rape, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, etc.

Is this training a class in preparation for youth ministry or is it voluntary?

It is not a class, because the youth and family ministry program here is a “create your own” major. It is completely voluntary. However, we create a list of people who we think would be good peer helpers and invite them to apply to the program. We interview them and usually acquire 10-12 people for the incoming year. This year we selected 13 and they are already in their training.

What is your favorite aspect of being a peer helper?

I enjoy meeting new and interesting people. I have made good friends that I otherwise would not have met because it is unlikely that we would run into each other on campus.

What do you like most about the program?

I like seeing the peer helpers get others involved. The outreach is phenomenal.

Of the 2200 students at Wittenberg, how many do you think you have impacted by your outreach?

It’s hard to say for sure, but I would estimate at least a quarter of the students. This is a new program here and it’s hard to see how many people are affected by it because of the behind-the-scenes interactions.

What have you learned from peer helpers?

Being a part of peer helpers has taught me how to deal with people on a more personal and intimate level the first time I meet them. It has strengthened my relationship with my housemates, family members, friends, even the people at the home church we just moved to. It has especially helped me in relating to kids as a camp counselor. Our saying here is, “It’s not a job, it’s an attitude.”