The PAL® Peer Assistance Leadership Program is a school-based, peer-to-peer youth development program for students in grades 4-12 built upon a philosophy of students helping students. Established in 1980 by the Orange County Department of Education, the PAL program addresses the underlying causes of violence, tobacco, alcohol, and drug use by youth.
The program encourages PAL students and their peers to make healthy life decisions and provides opportunities to create a supportive and safe school environment. PAL supports students’ healthy lifestyles by building resiliency and assets through youth leadership, mentoring, conflict resolution, cross-age teaching, peer helping, service learning, and prevention activities. The PAL program can enhance and support all student leadership programs in schools.
PAL is a registered trademark of Workers Assistance Program, Inc., and is used under license. PAL design is a registered trademark of the Orange County Department of Education.