Peer approaches for increasing HIV awareness on a college campus.

Planning for HIV/AIDS programming presents challenges because of the fact that sensitive, and sometimes controversial, information must be introduced in a non-threatening way. In an audience of college students, the challenges may be greater because of the divergent backgrounds, perceptions, and degrees of understanding of the subject. This article describes a successful and cost-effective plan implemented on the campus of a small, urban college located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Peer education programs utilize student peers to act as role models, to become sources of accurate information and to support fellow students in their struggle toward learning, both academically and in life experiences. These methods could address the need for adequate health education, especially in the area of HIV/AIDS among high-risk populations. Proven techniques are discussed that can be designed with minimal funding, and in which there is a solid reliance upon volunteerism. A significant component of this process is collaboration among agencies and other institutions with common goals, objectives or difficulties. Through cooperative efforts, many problems can be diminished.