Near Peer Hiring Toolkit for TPP Programs

Near peers are close in age but slightly older than the intended Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) project population (for example, college students). Near peers are uniquely positioned to relate to TPP project participants and amplify participant voices. Hiring near peers builds an essential bridge between those you serve and the people serving them. While they are an incredible asset, hiring part-time youth staff represents unique organizational challenges for agencies that typically hire only full-time staff or adult staff. Near peers are often college students or college-aged youth who have many demands on their time, requiring unique supervision and management processes. Additionally, HR departments can be unprepared to hire this unique type of position and may perceive risk in hiring youth. This toolkit demonstrates strategies that support the near peer themselves, the staff that supervise and work with them, and suggestions for adapting the agency policies that impact them.