PEP Communities Program Model

The UConn Extension PEP Communities Model 

UConn Extension trains facilitators from your community to guide local participants through the PEP Communities Program. 

PEP Communities Facilitators: 

  • Are agency staff members or volunteers. 
  • Participate in six 90-minute online training sessions with short assignments.* 
  • Hold an informational meeting for potential participants to learn more about the program. 
  • Recruit and interview participants. 
  • Conduct 10-weekly 2-hour training sessions. 
  • Support participants during the 4 project planning sessions. 
  • Support participants when completing the community projects. 

* For groups of 6 or more facilitator trainees, a 2-day in-person training program may be an option.
  Contact us for more details. 

UConn Extension PEP Communities participants: 

  • Usually devote 4-5 months to the program. 
  • Participate in 10 weekly 2-hour sessions on values, communication skills, problem solving, parenting, action planning, community assessment, and community issues or related topics. 
  • Conduct individual or group projects in their communities. 
  • Develop enhanced self-esteem and inner strengths. 

Who benefits from PEP Communities? 

Participants: PEP Communities helps participants focus on their own personal strengths. They enhance their communication skills, relationship skills, problem solving abilities, parenting, project planning skills, and they achieve a greater understanding of, and become more involved with their communities. 

Facilitators: PEP Communities helps facilitators learn more about their community and gain skills in working with groups. 

Communities: PEP Communities helps build leaders who take an active role in their community. 

Program Goals 

Goal: Greater understanding of personal strengths. 

  • Objective: By the end of their participation in UConn Extension PEP Communities program, participants will be able to: 
    • State their personal values or what is important to them. 
    • State personal changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and aspirations. 

Goal: Significantly increase communication skills. 

  • Objective: By the end of their participation in UConn PEP Communities, participants will be able to: 
    • Use “I” statements to express thoughts, feelings and ideas. 
    • Able to express opinions when others disagree. 
    • Use one or more strategies to prevent children’s misbehavior. 

Goal: Significantly increase their understanding of and involvement in the community. 

  • Objective: By the end of their participation in UConn PEP Communities, participants will be able to: 
    • Know what to do to make the community a better place. 
    • Work as a group to complete one or more projects. 
    • Volunteer to assume a new leadership position. 
    • Complete individual and/or group project/s that benefit the community. 

How to Bring UConn Extension PEP Communities to Your Organization 

  • Review our PEP Communities Overview and PEP Communities Memorandum of Understanding 
  • Discuss your interest with the UConn Extension PEP Administrator – Email pep@uconn.edu or call 203-407-3160 
  • Decide if you want to invite other organizations to partner with you to share: 
    • Responsibilities and resources. 
    • Funding 
    • Meeting location 
    • Food and materials 
  • Identify candidates for PEP Communities Facilitator Training. 
  • Contact UConn Extension PEP Administrator to pursue facilitator training. 
  • Register facilitator trainees in training. 
  • Complete and submit MOU to UConn PEP Administrator.