Penn Anti-Violence Education (PAVE)

PAVE offers consent and bystander intervention programming to all Penn community members, including those who are required to complete sexual violence prevention education (such as incoming first-years, fraternity and sorority chapters, athletics teams, and student organizations). These programs include Consent Circles, PVP’s program for incoming undergraduates during NSO, and year-round interactive workshops on consent and bystander intervention. 

Since its inception in 2016, PAVE has quadrupled its impact, reaching over 3,000 undergraduate students with over 70 programs in 2023-2024. PAVE has provided sexual violence prevention education to culturally specific student associations, fraternity and sorority organizations, academic and political societies, clubs, college house staff, student athletes, and more.

All PAVE workshops educate and mobilize Penn students to take action that prevents harm and build healthy relationships. Each workshop is 90 minutes long, and typically cofacilitated by two peer educators. These sessions are highly participatory: we ask attendees to engage actively, bringing knowledge and skills from their own experiences. This approach supports participants in coming up with real-world solutions to the issues of sexual and relationship violence in their communities. Each PAVE workshop follows roughly the same structure:

• Opening: educators will introduce the topic and set guidelines for engagement in the session
• Basics: Outlining the topics to be discussed and skills/strategies involved
• Application: Using scenarios, practice applying what’s been learned. This includes ample time for discussion, questions, and brainstorming. 
• Closing: educators share information on resources available to people impacted by sexual and relationship violence at Penn

Peer educators are leaders who come from the communities they educate within, and are uniquely positioned to educate and motivate their peers to intervene on the issues they face. PAVE educators recognize that violence is a societal issue in need of community based solutions, and cultivate an understanding of the systems of oppression that shape experiences of interpersonal violence. All educators receive specialized training in facilitation, consent skills, sexual and relationship violence recognition and response, and intervening on interpersonal and systemic harm. 

We’re so glad you’re interested! Here’s some basics about the peer educator role:

• PAVE educators are employed by PVP as student workers, and are paid at $15/hour. We typically hire in March/April for positions that begin the upcoming academic year. 
• Educators’ primary responsibility is leading Consent Circles (a one-time consent program hosted the Friday before the first day of fall classes) and workshops year round (at least once per month). This commitment averages out to around 5 hours per month. 
• PAVE educators must be able to attend training (which consists of 4 all-day sessions the week before classes begin) as well as biweekly meetings year-round. 
• Undergraduate students of all gender identities, sexual orientations, countries of origin, races, ethnicities, and abilities are encouraged to apply. No prior experience or training is required to apply. Applicants do not need to have a work study award to be eligible for the position. 

Interested in being notified when applications open for PAVE? Email trizzo@upenn.edu!