Peer Ambassadors 2024

The Peer Ambassador program is designed to teach and train participants to become peer mental health educators within their community. Using the knowledge and experiential learning from the Changing Our Narratives program, Peer Ambassadors will be more equipped to help and teach their peers within their community.

Peer Ambassadors will also receive additional research-based training by counselors and counselor educators to learn the basics of socio-emotional wellbeing, foundational concepts of mental health, and the impacts of trauma. 

Our Peer Ambassadors will also work collaboratively to develop self-care tool kits and trauma informed strategies for wellness. Once trained, they will serve as leaders teaching peers in their school and local community. 

Just Breathe is a platform used to co-create dialogue and provide mental mental health information to the Rochester community with an emphasis on youth impact and resources. Each episode is led by some of our Peer Ambassadors and highlights a different topic--some even feature special guests!

In partnership with Young Women's College Prep Charter School (YWCP) & University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men (UPREP), BreatheDeep co-creates safe spaces to explore mental health, grief, loss and self-care through reflective, restorative and culturally relevant strategies, including breathing and meditation circles. 

This 6-8 week program is supported by community counselors, program facilitators and counselor educators that reflect our participants to assist them in learning and incorporating new behavioral responses to stressors and trauma, while  dismantling cultural barriers such as stigma, silence, and suppression.