PAL
Peer Assistance Leaders

The College of Charleston, Charleston Southern and the City have collaborated on a wonderful and exciting new program.

The program is called PAL (Peer Assistance Leaders).  As stated in our mission, the Peer Assistance Leaders program involves Charleston area college students assisting their peers avoid negative situations involving alcohol and crime. It stems from a desire to prevent peers from being victimized or harmed as a result of engaging in behavior which raises their risk level.

The program began on February 9th, 2008 when 27 students from the College of Charleston, the Citadel and Charleston Southern participated in a three hour Orientation led by Charleston Chief of Police, Gregory Mullen (Photo to the right) and Evie Nadel, Associate Dean of Students.

What do PAL's Do?

The premise is simple students come together on Friday nights (during this pilot semester) and walk the highly traversed upper King Street corridor from 10:00 pm until a little after 2:00 am bar closing. The volunteers walk in groups with the assistance of a plain clothed Charleston Police Office who walks nearby and a uniformed officered in a Charleston Police car. They are uniformed in bright yellow jackets with the PAL logo embroidered on the front of the jacket.

All three local news stations covered the first night and there was an excellent article in the local newspaper, The Post and Courier. The students have received only positive feedback thus far from young people that come up and thank them for being out there.

At this point only the College of Charleston and Charleston Southern students are walking but we have high hope that the Citadel will join us very soon.

Chief Mullen and Associate Dean Nadel were invited to make a presentation to a large group at Charleston Southern recently where 170 students, faculty and their President heard all about the PAL program and ways they can serve.

The student volunteers have felt very good about their experiences on Friday nights and have had the opportunity to really make a difference for their peers.

Another orientation is being planned to recruit more volunteers for the fall semester, 2008.

Photo on left is the PAL Training held February 9th, 2008.