Getting started...

California State University, Northridge, commonly known as CSUN, began their highly successful campus Preconception Peer Education (PPE) program in 2010 after learning about the federal initative out of the Office of Minority Health.

To begin, a small group of CSUN students decided to go the route of developing a formal campus organization devoted to preconception peer education. Those students included La Ronda Jones, former PPE President, and Ian de Asis, former PPE Vice-President. At the September 2012 Preconception Peer Educator Training in Fresno, they along with their advisor, Dr. Sloane Burke, spoke about what this process entailed and provided tips to help you get your organizations off the ground.

Here are selected process items and tips:

• Met with school leadership
  • Quickly found they needed to explain the concept of and make a case for  preconception health.
• Developed a charter and mission statement
  • A word of advice that was provided--be prepared for revisions!
  • They have shared their charter/constitution that you can adapt if you choose to start your own organization rather than finding an "umbrella" organization on your campus.
• Established a Board
  • President, Vice-President, etc.
• Selected an Advisor
  • Look to an academic department with an interest in PPE’s purpose.
  • Think about professors or administrators with whom you have formed a positive relationship.
  • Decide on the complexity or simplicity of the advisor-organization relationship. Should be someone beyond just “signing our forms” but keep in mind – advisors do have many responsibilities.
  • Communicate expectations of the advisor and students.
• Recruited members
  • Advertise, Advertise, Advertise! Example strategies:  classroom presentations, booth at "Meet the Clubs Day," campus flyers, school paper, social media, word of mouth.
  • Appreciate diversity and various skillsets in members.
  • Establish clear roles and responsibilities for the various types of membership.

This process was lengthy but ultimately, establishing a campus organization was rewarding. As a recognized campus organization, perks for CSUN were that they were allocated funding for room reservations and outreach materials and could be included in the directory of registered campus organizations.

Projects

Some examples of projects that CSUN PPEs were involved with include:

• On campus seminars about preconception health and infant mortality
• First Annual Southern California Preconception Peer Educators Conference on CSUN campus in Winter 2012 with 50 students in attendance; they learned and worked together with other campuses
• Local high school health fair
• Collaborative work with other campus organizations

What now?

Currently, CSUN-PPE has trained and provided certifications through the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health to over 100 students since the launch of the program on CSUN campus. For more information on training as well as collaboration with CSUN-PPE please contact ppe@my.csun.edu.

La Ronda Jones and Ian de Asis offer technical assistance and present at national conferences. They helped train Preconception Peer Educatiors at CSU Fresno in Fall 2012.

A helping hand...

Click on the links below for some resources that CSUN and their graduates have provided that that may be of help to you.

• Access La Ronda Jones and Ian de Asis' presentation slides from the CSU Fresno training on September 22, 2012 about the PPE program, organizing for a successful program, and recruitment.
• Download the CSUN PPE's sample constitution that they have provided for you to adapt
• View the Office of Minority Health follow up webinar (recorded) in which La Ronda Jones presents on how to host a successful peer training on your campus