Diese Analyse gibt einen Überblick über die Erfahrungen von außerschulischen politischen Bildungsprojekten mit dem Peer Education Ansatz und erstellt darauf aufbauend Handlungsempfehlungen, die für die Arbeit mit Peer Education innerhalb der politischen Bildung verwendet werden können, heraus. Um diese Analyse zu vollziehen, wurden vier Peer Projekte aus Sachsen interviewt. Ziel dieser Analyse war es mithilfe von leitfadengestützten Expert:inneninterviews von Bildungsprojekten aus Sachsen, die mit dem Peer Education Ansatz arbeiten, Berichte und Erfahrungen auszuwerten und zu vergleichen. Anhand theoriegestützter Hypothesen wurden dann in einem nächsten Schritt die in den Interviews beschriebenen Problematiken, Herausforderungen oder auch positiven Erfahrungen wissenschaftlich gestützt. Aufgrund der mangelnde Datenlage kann diese Analyse einen Einblick in die Arbeit mit Peer Education innerhalb der politischen Bildung liefern und die prekär vorliegende Forschung zu dieser Thematik in einigen Erkenntnissen ergänzen. Schlussendlich zeigt die Analyse der Peer Projekte aus Sachsen, dass dieser Ansatz eine gute Möglichkeit darstellt politische Bildung auf Augenhöhe zu gewährleisten und Jugendliche dazu befähigt selbstbewusster und selbstsicherer ihre Meinungen in Demokratie und Gesellschaft einzubringen.:1. Politische Bildung mal anders 2. Politische Bildung 2.1 Theoretische Einordnung und Forschungsstand 2.2 Rahmenbedingungen 3. Peer Education 3.1 Theoretische Einordnung und Forschungsstand 3.2 Peer Education innerhalb der politischen Bildung 3.3 Hypothesen 4. Methodik 4.1 Materialsammlung 4.2 Materialauswertung 4.3 Desiderate 5. Fallauswahl 5.1 Kriterien Fallauswahl 5.2 Begründung Fallauswahl und Vorstellung der Vereine und Projekte 6. Darstellung und Vergleich der Ergebnisse 7. Positive und negative Erfahrungen in den Projekten 8. Bewertung mithilfe der Hypothesen 9. Handlungs- und Projektdurchführungsempfehlungen 10. Fazit 11. Literaturverzeichnis 12. Anhang

HIV and AIDS is the most prevalent and destructive pandemic to occur in South Africa's recorded history. Due to the increase of infection and deaths rates within the South African Police Services, the Peer Education programme was developed as a prevention strategy to deal with the scourge of HIV and AIDS. The programme came into being as a result of the strategic alliance between the South African Police Services and the South African Civil Military Alliance on HIV and AIDS, which led to the South African Defence Force HIV and AIDS programme being aligned to meet SAPS challenges. An external consultant was appointed to oversee the alignment which resulted in the Peer Education programme being identified as a strategy to fight the scourge of HIV and AIDS in the South African Police Services. This programme is an integral part of the Police Social Work Services personnel capacity building programmes. A comprehensive study into the programme's effect and return on investment (ROI) was undertaken in 2001. This thesis will report on the effect of the HIV and AIDS Peer education programme as well as its return on investment coefficient. Objectives The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the HIV and AIDS Peer Education programme on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of SAPS employees, as well as the programme's return on investment coefficient. Method The study used an experimental research design and triangulation. It involved an average of 294 SAPS employees (228 for the experimental groups and 66 for the comparison groups) with 32 social workers presenting the programme. The programme was also subjected to a structured and comprehensive return on investment analysis. Results Through the triangulation of measurements it was ascertained that the HIV and AIDS Peer education programme had a practical significant effect on the employees' knowledge, attitude and behaviour and improved their personal and professional well-being. The Return on Investment analysis conducted indicated that the programme was of financial benefit to the South African Police Services in comparison with the input by the organisation and the output realised as a result of the activities of the Peer Educators. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

HIV and AIDS is the most prevalent and destructive pandemic to occur in South Africa's recorded history. Due to the increase of infection and deaths rates within the South African Police Services, the Peer Education programme was developed as a prevention strategy to deal with the scourge of HIV and AIDS. The programme came into being as a result of the strategic alliance between the South African Police Services and the South African Civil Military Alliance on HIV and AIDS, which led to the South African Defence Force HIV and AIDS programme being aligned to meet SAPS challenges. An external consultant was appointed to oversee the alignment which resulted in the Peer Education programme being identified as a strategy to fight the scourge of HIV and AIDS in the South African Police Services. This programme is an integral part of the Police Social Work Services personnel capacity building programmes. A comprehensive study into the programme's effect and return on investment (ROI) was undertaken in 2001. This thesis will report on the effect of the HIV and AIDS Peer education programme as well as its return on investment coefficient. Objectives The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the HIV and AIDS Peer Education programme on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of SAPS employees, as well as the programme's return on investment coefficient. Method The study used an experimental research design and triangulation. It involved an average of 294 SAPS employees (228 for the experimental groups and 66 for the comparison groups) with 32 social workers presenting the programme. The programme was also subjected to a structured and comprehensive return on investment analysis. Results Through the triangulation of measurements it was ascertained that the HIV and AIDS Peer education programme had a practical significant effect on the employees' knowledge, attitude and behaviour and improved their personal and professional well-being. The Return on Investment analysis conducted indicated that the programme was of financial benefit to the South African Police Services in comparison with the input by the organisation and the output realised as a result of the activities of the Peer Educators. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

HIV/AIDS continues to challenge prevention, care and treatment efforts and presents an increasingly urgent threat to population health. In the context of prevention, this fatal sexually transmitted infection (STI) underscores the importance of providing youth (the fastest growing risk group) with adequate information, motivation, behavioural skills, and access to resources that support the achievement and maintenance of sexual health across the lifespan. However, youth have proven to be a difficult audience to reach, particularly with educational programs that approach adolescent sexuality from an adult frame of reference, one that often stresses the negative aspects of human sexuality. Yet many of the tasks associated with a successful transition into adulthood and social integration depend upon the ability to initiate and maintain long-term, intimate sexual relationships. Using a case study methodology, this research—which was conducted in British Columbia, Canada—investigated the potential effects of an innovative theatre-based, peer-led HIV prevention/sexuality education program on four groups of high school students and the peer leaders. The potential of theatre-in-education was examined to determine if this format would engage youth audiences—and keep them engaged—and if it would have a positive impact on self-reported confidence in performing risk-reduction behaviours. The results from the four case studies strongly suggest that peer-led theatre presented in conjunction with peer-led discussion has the potential to not only engage youth between 12 and 17, but to also increase self-reported confidence in their ability reduce risk. In two of the cases, engagement was high and constant; while the two other cases demonstrated that the format has a strong potential for drawing more reluctant audiences into discussions over time. In all cases, confidence reportedly increased. Further to this, audiences reported gains in knowledge, improvements in behavioural and communication skills, and increased motivation to use condoms and to access sexual health care. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, there were reports of increased communication about sexual health issues, the development of greater compassion and tolerance, along with the desire to avoid stigmatizing HIV-positive individuals and sexual minorities. The peer leaders reported comparable effects. Given that stigma has been identified as the most persistent barrier to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment, embedding peer-led theatre programs—focused on sexuality and HIV prevention—into currently existing theatre arts curricula within the public school system offers a powerful and cost-effective means of providing comprehensive sexual health education. It would be shrewd (from both a social and economic perspective) for education ministries and school districts to capitalize on the positive aspects of adolescent peer networks and youths’ natural tendency to learn from one another. This research, while based on informed judgment, adequacy and plausibility rather than on the gold standard of a randomized control trial, arguably provides initial evidence that the theatre-in-education format is worthy of implementation on a wider scale. Investing in the set-up, maintenance and rigorous evaluation of peer-led theatre-in-education programs which focus on sexuality has the potential to normalize safer sexual practices and improve population health, for this generation and generations to come.

Magister Educationis - MEd / The impact of global migration on local contexts has spawned new issues and a range of social responses. These include the emergence of ‘xenophobia’ in the terrain of discrimination and the subsequent development of popular educational responses to this. As part of popular educational responses, adult education programmes have assumed an important role in changing people’s attitudes. This long research paper presents a critical analysis of how a human rights and counter-xenophobia peer educators’ programme enables young adults to develop a critical consciousness about human rights and ‘xenophobia’. The research focused on learning materials, course content, training methodology and processes of a three-day human rights and counter- xenophobia workshop held by Umoja wa Afrika, a local non-governmental organization, in March/April 2007 at Goedgedacht, just outside Cape Town. The research was based on qualitative methodology which included an exploration of relevant literature, interviews with participants and facilitators, as well as the researcher’s critical reflections. The research was located within a critical theory framework in the field of adult learning, and drew from the work of Paulo Freire (1970) and Stephen Brookfield(2005). The key finding of the study is that the experience of the workshop enabled participants to develop a critical awareness - but not necessarily a critical understanding of human rights and ‘xenophobia’. The participants identified specific factors that contributed to such awareness. These included the diverse composition of participants, the ‘accompanying’ facilitation style, and the interactive training methodology. This study makes a contribution to understanding human rights peer education in the South African context and the extent to which such provision could enable participants to develop a critical understanding of human rights and xenophobia. This study is an attempt to make an original contribution in this area. As such it adds to literature in applied critical methodology. / South Africa

Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 have been identified as being the most significant target grouping affected by HIV and AIDS in the world. South Africa has one of the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence rates and has adopted two broad strategies to curb the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The first strategy is costly involving anti-retroviral treatment which the government has only been able to roll-out to a very few HIV positive people. Currently in a depressing global economy, international donors are finding it difficult to increase funding for HIV and AIDS, more particularly as the poor countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Southern Africa have been mostly affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The second strategy is an HIV and AIDS prevention strategy with the primary aim of keeping citizens free from contracting the HI virus. Although this strategy is a comprehensive strategy where governments embark on large-scale campaigns of raising HIV and AIDS awareness, there is very little scientific evidence that these campaigns have brought about a significant decrease of HIV and AIDS prevalence amongst young people. Raising awareness does not necessarily lead to positive behavioural change. Most young people in South Africa attend high schools where HIV and AIDS life-skills education has been made as a compulsory component of the life orientation curriculum. In South Africa, a National Aids Council has been established in South Africa to co-ordinate HIV and AIDS interventions and develops national HIV and AIDS policies aimed at curbing the spread of HIV and AIDS at a national level, yet the HIV and AIDS prevalence amongst young people has not significantly abated. On their own, governments cannot address all the socio-economic needs of their citizens. Partnership need to be formed with Non-government organisations and a broader range of stakeholders to address the spread of HIV and AIDS. Youth workers from NGOs currently implement HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools as part of the South African government’s broad strategy of HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of youth workers who were employed at NGOs implementing HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative approaches in the research design. A literature review was conducted to research aspects of the study such as the features of NGOs, high schools as a setting and the role youth workers played when implementing HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes. Books, articles, journals, the internet and peer education manuals of NGOs all produced relevant information pertaining to the subject of HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people. Twenty youth workers from three NGOs that is currently implementing HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes was purposively sampled, to be primary respondents of an empirical study. The researcher conceptualised and constructed an interview schedule with pertinent qualitative and quantitative questions based on the literature review. After the questionnaire was piloted with three youth workers, the interviewing process ensued. A considerable amount of time was spent on analysing and interpreting the data. Various themes emerged pertaining to different aspects of the programme. An empirical investigation was concluded with various results. Some of the research findings were in accordance with the literature review which supported the view of several authors that peer education programmes were an effective strategy for HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people. Based on the literature study and the empirical study, various recommendations were made to improve the implementation of the HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools. One of the most significant revelations of the empirical study was how important the proper selection and recruitment of peer educators were to the success of the peer education programme. The research findings point to a strategy that encourages the nominations of learners from each classroom so that they could represent their classes and deliver lessons in a much more practical way than is currently being done. Another equally important finding was the management role that NGOs need to play in enabling the appropriate resourcing, monitoring, evaluating and improvement of the sustainability of the organisation and subsequently enriching the experience of youth workers who implement effective HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools as part of a broad strategy for HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Jong mense tussen die ouderdom van 15 en 24 is geïdentifiseer as die belangrikste groep wat deur MIV en VIGS geraak word. Suid-Afrika het een van die hoogste voorkomskoerse van MIV en VIGS en gebruik twee breë strategieë om die MIV en VIGS-pandemie te beteuel. Die eerste strategie is duur en behels teenretrovirale behandeling, wat die regering nog net aan klein aantal MIV-positiewe mense kon verskaf. In die huidige slegte globale ekonomie word dit vir internasionale skenkers toenemend moeilik om befondsing vir MIV en VIGS-behandeling te verhoog, veral omdat dit die arm lande van besuide die Sahara en veral Suidelike Afrika is wat die meeste deur die MIV en VIGS-pandemie geraak word. Die tweede strategie is MIV en VIGS-voorkoming, met die primêre doel om te keer dat landsburgers die HI-virus kry. Hoewel hierdie omvangryke strategie is waarvolgens regerings grootskaalse veldtogte onderneem om bewussyn van MIV en VIGS te verhoog, is daar min wetenskaplike bewyse daarvoor dat hierdie veldtogte tot noemenswaardige vermindering in die voorkoms van MIV en VIGS onder jong mense lei nie. ‘n Verhoogde bewussyn lei nie noodwendig tot positiewe verandering in gedrag nie. Verder is die meeste jong mense in hoërskole waar opvoeding in MIV en VIGS-lewensvaardighede verpligte komponent van die lewensoriënteringskurrikulum is. In Suid-Afrika is ‘n Nasionale Vigsraad geskep om MIV en VIGS-bekampingsprogramme te koördineer en om nasionale MIV en VIGS-beleide te ontwikkel wat gemik is op die bekamping van die verspreiding van MIV en VIGS op nasionale vlak. Nietemin het die voorkoms van MIV en VIGS onder jong mense nie noemenswaardig afgeneem nie. Regerings kan nie op hulle eie al die sosio-ekonomiese behoeftes van hulle burgers vervul nie. Vennootskappe met nieregeringsorganisasies (NRO’s) en ‘n breë reeks belanghebbers word benodig om die verspreiding van MIV en VIGS aan te spreek. Jeugwerkers van NRO’s implementeer tans voorkomende portuuropvoedingsprogramme by hoërskole as deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se breë strategie van MIV en VIGSbekamping onder jong mense. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die ervaringe van jeugwerkers betrokke by NRO wat MIV en VIGS-voorkomende portuuropvoedingsprogramme in hoërskole implementeer, te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die navorser het kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe benaderings in die navorsingsontwerp gebruik. Literatuurstudie is onderneem om aspekte van die studie na te vors, soos die kenmerke van NRO’s, hoërskole as ligging en die rol van jeugwerkers in die implementering van MIV en VIGS-voorkomende portuuropvoedingsprogramme. Boeke, artikels, tydskrifte, die internet en portuuropvoedingsriglyne van NRO’s het almal relevante inligting verskaf oor die onderwerp van die voorkoming van MIV en VIGS onder jong mense. Twintig jeugwerkers van NRO wat tans MIV en VIGS-voorkomende portuuropvoedingsprogramme aanbied is deur doelgerigte steekproefneming vir empiriese ondersoek geselekteer. Die navorser het ‘n onderhoudskedule gekonseptualiseer en opgestel met pertinente kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe vrae wat op die literatuurstudie gebaseer is. Die vraelys is op drie jeugwerkers getoets, waarna daar met die onderhoudvoering voortgegaan is. Baie tyd is gebruik om die data te analiseer en interpreteer. Verskeie temas het na vore gekom wat met verskillende aspekte van die program verband hou. Empiriese ondersoek is onderneem, met verskillende resultate. Sommige van die navorsingsbevindings was in lyn met die literatuurstudie, wat die siening van verskeie skrywers ondersteun het dat portuuropvoedingsprogramme effektiewe strategie is vir die voorkoming van MIV en VIGS onder jong mense. Op die basis van die literatuurstudie en die empiriese studie is verskeie aanbevelings gemaak om die implementering van MIV en VIGS-voorkomende portuuropvoedingsprogramme in hoërskole te verbeter. Een van die belangrikste bevindings van die empiriese studie was hoe belangrik die behoorlike seleksie en werwing van portuuropvoeders in die sukses van portuuropvoedingsprogram is. Die navorsingsbevindings wys ook op strategie wat die nominasie van leerders in elke klaskamer aanmoedig sodat hulle die klasse kan verteenwoordig en lesse op baie meer praktiese manier aanbied as wat tans die geval is. Ewe belangrike bevinding was die bestuursrol wat NRO’s in die instaatstelling van gepaste hulpbronne moet speel, asook in die monitering, evaluering en verbetering van die volhoubaarheid van die organisasie en in die verryking van die ervarings van jeugwerkers soos hulle voortgaan om effektiewe MIV en VIGS-voorkomende portuuropvoedingsprogramme in hoërskole aan te bied as strategie vir die voorkoming van MIV en VIGS onder jongmense in Suid-Afrika.

Introduction : Les programmes universels de réduction du surpoids peuvent potentiellement contribuer aux inégalités de santé. L’objectif principal de la thèse était de concevoir, de mettre en place et d’évaluer des interventions d’accompagnement par des pairs appariés sur le milieu social. Méthodologie : La pertinence de l’éducation par les pairs, en général, et plus spécifiquement comme réponse possible à la problématique des inégalités de santé, a été analysée. Deux interventions ont été développées par le biais de deux modalités différentes. La première était la sélection, formation et le suivi de pairs facilitateurs ayant pour mission la réalisation concrète d’activités nutritionnelles communes avec des pairs receveurs. La deuxième a été développée sur Facebook et encourageait le partage virtuel d’expériences de réalisation d’activités nutritionnelles. Résultats : L’analyse de la pertinence de l’éducation par les pairs a conduit à deux choix stratégiques : un accompagnement basé sur la théorie sociocognitive plutôt que la posture classique d’éducation par les pairs centrée sur l’instruction et le fait de sélectionner des pairs accompagnateurs issus de milieu moins favorisé. L’intervention facilitateurs-receveurs a permis le recrutement de plusieurs dyades et la réalisation d’activités en dehors du milieu scolaire. Suite à une évaluation détaillée, plusieurs recommandations sont formulées pour améliorer la mise en œuvre de cette intervention. L’utilisation de Facebook ne semble pas courir le risque d’augmenter les inégalités puisqu’environ 80% des adolescents ont accès à Facebook. Néanmoins, il n’y avait pas d’échange entre les participants sur le groupe de défis nutritionnels, ce qui remet en question le modèle logique initial de l’intervention. Discussion : Les modalités d’intervention par les pairs sur réseau social doivent être modifiées pour étendre sa portée et son impact. Pour sa part, l’intervention en dyade facilitateurs-receveurs est faisable et complémentaire à un programme de santé dans sa forme actuelle avec quelques ajustements. Celle-ci poursuit un double objectif de santé publique : la réduction du surpoids à travers le changement de comportement des receveurs, et la réduction des inégalités sociales pour les receveurs mais aussi pour les facilitateurs issus de milieu social défavorisé par la formation et la valorisation / Introduction: Universal prevention programs for reducing overweight can potentially contribute to widening health inequalities. The main objective of this thesis was to design, implement and evaluate peer interventions targeting adolescents matched on socioeconomic status. Methodology: The relevance of peer education was analysed, both in general and more specifically regarding its potential to reduce health inequalities. Two interventions were developed based on two different modes of delivery. The first intervention consisted in the selection, training and regular follow-up of peer facilitators whose mission was to carry out nutritional activities with peer receivers. The second intervention was developed on Facebook and encouraged the virtual sharing of experiences relating to nutritional activities. Results: The analysis of the relevance of peer education led to two strategic choices: the first was to base the interventions on socio cognitive theory, as opposed to the more traditional didactic approach, and the second was to select and train peer facilitators from less advantaged backgrounds. The facilitator-receiver intervention led to the successful recruitment of several dyads and nutritional activities were implemented outside of school premises. A detailed evaluation led to recommendations for improving implementation. Using Facebook does not seem likely to widen health inequalities since over 80% of adolescents had access to Facebook. However, there was no sharing of experience between participants on the nutritional challenges group, which puts into question the initial logic model of this intervention. Discussion: The delivery and implementation of the online peer intervention must be modified in order to increase its range and impact. In contrast, the facilitator-receiver intervention in its current form with only minor adjustments is feasible and complements a health intervention well. This intervention has a double target: the reduction of overweight through the behaviour change of the receivers and the reduction of social inequalities not only for the receivers but also by empowering facilitators from disadvantaged backgrounds

One in 59 children is identified as having an Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that students with disabilities be educated in the general education setting with typical peers to the maximum extent possible. This practice of inclusion has led to increased social-isolation and peer rejection among students with ASD. Research suggests inclusion alone without implementing peer intervention training is ineffective in fostering positive interactions between students with ASD and their typical peers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature by evaluating a peer educational intervention designed to promote positive peer relations among students with ASD, as well as, examine the effects of a peer educational intervention on typical peers’ perceived level of self-efficacy in interacting with students with ASD.

<p>The impact of global migration on local contexts has spawned new issues and a range of social responses. These include the emergence of &lsquo / xenophobia&rsquo / in the terrain of discrimination and&nbsp / the subsequent development of popular educational responses to this. As part of popular educational responses, adult education programmes have assumed an important role in changing&nbsp / people&rsquo / s attitudes. This long research paper presents a critical analysis of how a human rights and counter-xenophobia peer educators&rsquo / programme enables young adults to develop a critical consciousness about human rights and &lsquo / xenophobia&rsquo / . The research focused on learning materials, course content, training methodology and processes of a three-day human rights and counter- xenophobia workshop held by Umoja wa Afrika, a local non-governmental organization, in March/April 2007 at Goedgedacht, just outside Cape Town. The research was based on qualitative&nbsp / methodology which included an exploration of relevant literature, interviews with participants and facilitators, as well as the researcher&rsquo / s critical reflections. The research was located within a&nbsp / critical theory framework in the field of adult&nbsp / learning, and drew from the work of Paulo Freire (1970) and Stephen Brookfield(2005).&nbsp / The key finding of the study is that the experience of the&nbsp / workshop enabled participants to develop a critical awareness - but not necessarily a critical understanding of human rights and &lsquo / xenophobia&rsquo / . The participants identified specific factors that&nbsp / contributed to such awareness. These included the diverse composition of participants, the &lsquo / accompanying&rsquo / facilitation style, and the interactive training methodology. This study makes a&nbsp / contribution to understanding human rights peer education in the South African context and the extent to which such provision could enable participants to develop a critical understanding of&nbsp / human rights and xenophobia. This study is an attempt to make an original contribution in this area. As such it adds to literature in applied critical methodology.&nbsp / </p>

<p>The impact of global migration on local contexts has spawned new issues and a range of social responses. These include the emergence of &lsquo / xenophobia&rsquo / in the terrain of discrimination and&nbsp / the subsequent development of popular educational responses to this. As part of popular educational responses, adult education programmes have assumed an important role in changing&nbsp / people&rsquo / s attitudes. This long research paper presents a critical analysis of how a human rights and counter-xenophobia peer educators&rsquo / programme enables young adults to develop a critical consciousness about human rights and &lsquo / xenophobia&rsquo / . The research focused on learning materials, course content, training methodology and processes of a three-day human rights and counter- xenophobia workshop held by Umoja wa Afrika, a local non-governmental organization, in March/April 2007 at Goedgedacht, just outside Cape Town. The research was based on qualitative&nbsp / methodology which included an exploration of relevant literature, interviews with participants and facilitators, as well as the researcher&rsquo / s critical reflections. The research was located within a&nbsp / critical theory framework in the field of adult&nbsp / learning, and drew from the work of Paulo Freire (1970) and Stephen Brookfield(2005).&nbsp / The key finding of the study is that the experience of the&nbsp / workshop enabled participants to develop a critical awareness - but not necessarily a critical understanding of human rights and &lsquo / xenophobia&rsquo / . The participants identified specific factors that&nbsp / contributed to such awareness. These included the diverse composition of participants, the &lsquo / accompanying&rsquo / facilitation style, and the interactive training methodology. This study makes a&nbsp / contribution to understanding human rights peer education in the South African context and the extent to which such provision could enable participants to develop a critical understanding of&nbsp / human rights and xenophobia. This study is an attempt to make an original contribution in this area. As such it adds to literature in applied critical methodology.&nbsp / </p>