Prevention Programs
REACH (Real Education About College Health) Peer Education
By "Real" we mean peer to peer education, as in honest, authentic, and with information that students can really use to make positive and healthy decisions. REACH is designed to address students in a manner that is open, non-judgmental, and realistic. We want students to be able to speak honestly with one another and to hold one another accountable to a standard of community living in which they all feel safe. More importantly, we want students to know where they can get important factual information from both on and off campus resources, and since students often turn to one another for help, we want to train REACH Peer Educators so that they can help connect their peers to those resources. Using tabling, passive programming, awareness weeks, classroom workshops and Residence Life programming, REACH Peer Educators have the opportunity to develop the following skills:
- Public Speaking
- Program Planning
- Presentation
- Networking (both on and off campus)
- Active listening
- Communication
- Referral
- Creative Arts/Graphic Design (posters, flyers, etc)
R.E.A.C.H. Sub Groups
As stated above, for students to feel truly invested in a program like this, it is important that they feel truly connected to the work that the group is trying to do. Therefore, a key component of this Peer Education Program is the sub groups which allow students to focus on a specific area of interest. Below is a description of the 3 sub groups that would exist within REACH.
HEAL (Healthy Eating And Living)
The goal of HEAL is to educate students about living healthy - mind, body & spirit. This sub-group would focus on the following issues:
- Eating Disorders & Body Image
- Stress
- Anxiety & Depression
- Suicide Prevention
HEAL works closely with the Counseling Center to organize activities and events for Suicide Prevention Week, National Mental Illness Awareness Week, Depression Screening Day, and National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
CARES (Colligates Advocating Respect Equality and Safety)
- CARES focuses on relationships and the importance of respect and equality: Issues include:
- Relationship/Dating Violence
- Sexual Assault
- Sexual Harassment
- Sexual Health
CARES works closely with the Counseling Center to organize activities for Domestic Violence Awareness Month & Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
STAR (Students Teaching Alcohol Responsibility)
STAR peer educators are students who aim to provide accurate information about the effects of alcohol and other drugs and to give helpful tips on how to avoid harmful outcomes when using such substances. Their role is to provide information and resources around the following issues:
- Alcohol Poisoning
- Drinking & Driving
- Helping someone with addiction
STAR will work closely with the Counseling Center to organize activities and events for National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, National Drunk & Drugged Driving Awareness Month, as well as Safe Winter Break & Safe Spring Break Campaigns
Student Involvement in REACH Peer Education
Each sub-group is comprised of 1 Peer Coordinator and 2 Peer Leaders. These 3 positions (9 in total for all sub-groups) are stipend positions.
Any student can be a part of REACH Peer Education as it is a recognized student club on campus.
Meetings are held on Tuesday evening at 5pm in the back of Joe's Cafe.
For more information on REACH Peer Education, please contact Lindsey Shrayer, Alcohol and Drug Prevention Coordinator, at lshrayer@endicott.edu or at 978-232-2511.
"No Friend Left Behind" Campaign
What is the "No Friend Left Behind" Campaign
In 2007, Endicott College expanded its Counseling Center staff to include an Alcohol and Drug Prevention Coordinator. In an effort to get a sense of where Endicott students behavior was at, the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey was administered to more than 1100 students. An important use of this data was to highlight the fact that the MAJORITY of Endicott Students do make healthy decisions related to alcohol and substance use through our "Don't Be GULLible" Campaign. Statistics highlighted included that:
- The MAJORITY of Endicott drink 2 days a week or less (not the perceived 3 or more days)
- The MAJORITY of Endicott students have not smoked marijuana in the past 30 days (typically those who smoke marijuana think EVERYONE smokes, because they simply spend their time with smokers)
- The MAJORITY of Endicott students had refused the offer of alcohol over the past 30 days
- And...The MAJORITY of Endicott students don't damage school property (with only 3% of the population being responsible for damage)
The next phase of our pro-social campaign is to encourage the MAJORITY of Endicott students who are making healthy choices to become louder, stronger, and more visible.
Why this particular image?
The logo for the "No Friend Left Behind" Campaign shows a street sign with 3 people on it. The following analogy shows why this image, in particular, is so important to the NFLB campaign. Imagine you are driving down the highway, it is late at night, you are tired, stressed, and anxious to get home. You haven't been paying much attention, and in fact, don't really recall the past mile or so that you have been driving. To your right, you notice a sign that says "55 MPH". You look at your own speedometer and see that you are going 75. You tap the break, slowing down, and on the right you notice a State Trooper waiting to give someone a ticket.
Life happens. We get stressed out. We get caught up in our own "stuff" and forget to pay attention to the consequences. We are anxious and scared and sometimes resort to unhealthy and high-risk behavior because it gives us a sense of release. We are not always thinking about how our decisions in the moment can, and will, impact our future.
It is our aim, to encourage Endicott students to step up and help one another. If you see someone "distracted" by life and not thinking clearly about the consequences of their actions, REACH out and do something. Remember, the MAJORITY of you are making healthy decisions, you recognize the consequences of your actions, and you know where to turn for support if you need it. It is our hope that this MAJORITY will make themselves visible and vocal, and will stand up and speak out when they see behaviors that put students and our Endicott community at risk - that they will leave no friend behind.
Components of the "No Friend Left Behind" campaign include: prominently displayed posters in 10 residence halls as well as in the Callahan Center, the Library, the Post Center and the Academic Center; logo placement on REACH Peer Education T-shirts, REACH programming advertisements, and promotional items given out by REACH and the Counseling Center; education in Residence Halls and with Athletics about the NFLB campaign and ways in which all students can support and buy into the REACH tenets of the campaign.
If looking for more information on the "No Friend Left Behind" campaign, please contact Lindsey Shrayer, Alcohol and Drug Prevention Coordinator, at lshrayer@endicott.edu or at 978-232-2511.