Evaluation of a Peer Leadership Program for Child Life Specialists: First Year Findings

This paper describes the outcomes of a program evaluation testing a peer leadership training program for Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS). In an effort to address the current child life job crisis and to respond to the Association of Child Life Professional’s (ACLP) call for more professional opportunities and monetary support for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) thought leaders, authors designed a free virtual peer leadership program. The first cohort of 15 CCLSs participated in the program from 2022-2023 and the program was evaluated for its ability to improve participants’ perceived leadership and advocacy with outcomes guiding future programming and research. This paper describes the outcomes of the first year of the program.