The Peer Educators’ Network (PEN) in Vocational Education and Training is a community of young people who organize non-formal educational activities to develop healthy life skills and skills for better employability using social theatre techniques, debates, board games, etc.
PEN was established in 2020 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research and Terre des Hommes Moldova, with financial support from the Austrian Development Agency. This initiative was part of the project “Develop life skills and healthy behaviors of students in Vocational Education & Training for their development and job readiness”.
More than 200 students from 12 VET institutions from Chisinau, Rezina, Cahul, Nisporeni, Orhei, Cupcini, Riscani, and Balti were part of the network between 2020 and 2023. During these four years, PEN educators have reached almost 14,000 adolescents and young people with information activities on healthy behaviors.
The experience as a peer educator makes young people more confident and develops skills they can use in various contexts, including employment.
An example is Grigore Tuhar's experience: “The peer educator experience boosted my confidence and encouraged me to become more involved in various extracurricular activities. Volunteering and civic engagement have also been assets to my employment process. Before graduating, I sent my CV to several companies and one of them contacted me. At the interview, I was told that my volunteer experience is invaluable.”
In 2024, the network is being expanded to 20 VET institutions under the program “Connecting youth with jobs through life skills development in Moldova”.
The 20 centers of excellence, colleges and vocational schools were selected through a competition launched by UNFPA in May 2024. Each of the candidate institutions has created teams of educators consisting of 4 male and female students and a mentor teacher. The teams of educators will participate in training and will be supported to organise information activities throughout the school year. In August, the teams selected in 2024 will participate in a summer camp to reinforce their learning and develop skills and techniques for working with peers. They will also begin planning activities for the 2024-2025 school year.
In their activities, peer educators address topics such as:
- developing harmonious relationships with peers and adults and integration into new teams;
- increasing self-confidence and self-esteem;
- combating stereotypes, discrimination and gender-based violence;
- personal development and emotional resilience;
- healthy behaviours, prevention of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections;
- teamwork, public speaking, critical thinking;
- services offered by the Network of Youth Centers and Youth Klinic Moldova.
Activities organised by PEN include: information seminars, information and awareness campaigns, debates, flash mobs, social theatre, community cafes, quizzes, etc.
The program “Connecting youth with jobs through life skills development in Moldova” is implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova.
The Vocational Education and Training institutions that have life skills peer educator teams for the 2024-2025 school year:
- Center of Excellence in Computer Science and Information Technology
- Center of Excellence in Light Industry, Chisinau
- Center of Excellence in Economics and Finance
- Center of Excellence in Horticulture and Agricultural Technologies, Țaul
- Center of Excellence in Services and Food Processing
- Center of Excellence in Transport
- Agro-Industrial College, Rîșcani
- Medical College Cahul
- College “Iulia Hașdeu” from Cahul
- College “Alexei Mateevici” from Chișinău
- ASEM National College of Commerce
- Polytechnic College Bălți
- Agricultural Technical College Soroca
- “Vasile Lupu” College from Orhei
- Vocational School Căușeni
- Vocational School Cupcini
- Vocational School Hîncești
- Vocational School Nisporeni
- Vocational School No. 5 from Bălți
- Vocational School Orhei
