Sinai Peers Encouraging Empowerment through Knowledge (S.P.E.E.K.) program recruits young people to be peer health educators. They learn to be comfortable in educating other young people about health behaviors, reducing risks and making healthier decisions. They produce videos, newsletters and other educational materials designed for the youth audience.

S.P.E.E.K. participants gain skills for discussing sensitive health subjects – such as reproductive health, pregnancy prevention, prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, values clarification and decision making and present this information to their peers through waiting room discussions and workshops at schools, community agencies and health fairs.

The goal of S.P.E.E.K. is to reduce teen pregnancy. They are focused on East Harlem, Central Harlem, and the South Bronx areas of New York City. They aim to empower young people in making healthier decisions, and to help youth become their own health advocates.

To date, the S.P.E.E.K. program has trained almost 200 adolescents, and annually, the SPEEK program provides multiple session workshops and other services to more than 400 teens.

MSAHC's Sinai Peers Encouraging Empowerment through Knowledge (SPEEK) program recruits adolescents from our patients to be peer educators. SPEEK participants gain skills for discussing sensitive health subject, with their peers through waiting room discussions and workshops at schools, community agencies and health fairs.

If You Are Between 16 and 19 and Want to Get Involved

S.P.E.E.K. Sexuality Peer Education Program provides its adolescent peer educators with many opportunities to serve others through educational interventions, outreach, and media projects. Peer educators are paid for their work after receiving 80 hours of training conducted every summer. We look for a diverse group of motivated, responsible, interested and committed young people. Leadership skills, previous experience and an understanding of some of the issues related to adolescent sexuality, HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy are a plus, but not necessary. If you are a young person between the ages of 16 and 19 and are interested in applying, call 212-426-3752.