By sharing their own lived experience and pracNcal guidance, peer support workers help people to develop their own goals, create strategies for self--empowerment, and take concrete steps towards building fulfilling, self--determined lives for themselves.
noun. a person of the same legal status: a jury of one's peers. a person who is equal to another in abilities, qualifications, age, background, and social status.
Both in formal and informal settings, peer supporters are generally expected to be skilled in communication, have the ability to listen actively and to utilise a problem-solving approach when discussing a peer's issue.
In an effective support group, negative emotions are addressed, but do not become the main focus. People are allowed to have their feelings without hasty problem solving; while still being guided to their strengths and away from a victim focus. Encourages members to identify/evaluate alternatives for themselves.
A support group provides an opportunity for people to share personal experiences and feelings, coping strategies, or firsthand information about diseases or treatments.
Below are a few tips based on my tenure as group leader of Empowered to the Third Degree, Inc.
- Decide how regularly you want to meet.
- Determine what the mission of your group is.
- Be picky about who you invite to the group.
- Keep the group intimate.
- Decide where you will meet.
"Peer support is the process of giving and receiving encouragement and assistance to achieve long-term recovery. The spirit of recovery and resilience is grounded in hope and optimism. As such, peer specialists work to motivate their peers through positive means, highlighting strengths and. resources.
Certified peer counselors (CPCs) work with their peers (adults and youth) and the parents of children receiving mental health or substance use disorder services. They draw upon their experiences to help peers find hope and support their recovery.
Tips for Facilitating Groups
- Mentally and physically prepare yourself as the facilitator.
- Create the right environment.
- Ensure the expected outcome/s or objectives are clear.
- Establish expectations.
- Energise the group throughout the meeting.
- Manage participation.
- Adjust your facilitation style.
Goals of a self-help group
- Break the solitude and rekindle hope.
- Help oneself by helping others.
- Understand, accept and cope with the disease.
- Share personal knowledge and experience.
- Exert pressure tactics as required.
- Demystify the disease for spouses, parents, friends, employers etc.
How to start a peer group
- Pick two people (that you already know) that you want in the group – invite them.
- Ask those people to recommend two people they want to be a part of the group – invite them, too.
- You should have 6-7 people now – if not, keep asking people that are interested to recommend people to invite.
In general, a meeting that includes both discussion and goal-planning should be about two hours long. Although some leaders choose to hold support group meetings in their home, it's recommended that you seek out schools, colleges, churches, community centers, libraries, or other free space in your community.
The idea of peer support is to harness people's own experience of mental ill-health and recovery to support others and foster a sense of hope.
Some ideas include:
- Updating your website monthly. If you do not currently have a website, consider making a Facebook page!
- E- Newsletters.
- E-mail. This is the easiest and often times most cost effective way to reach a large group.
- Leave-Behinds. This can take the form of flyers, brochures, business cards, etc.
If you want to get your colleagues to work with you better, here's what you can do:
- Make teamwork a priority by making it part of the performance management system.
- Pinpoint the issue.
- Do not complain to management.
- Ask for advice.
- Communicate directly with them.
- Engage the law of reciprocity.
Consider talking with the group leader in advance and prepare a closing session together, where you can have the chance to say your goodbyes. This will be an important time of conclusion for both you and your peers, giving them the opportunity to say final words of encouragement and support.
How to Start a Depression Support Group
- Find two more supporters. You can set up an informal board of directors with only three people.
- Scout a location.
- Determine a schedule.
- Spread the word.
- Align with a national group.
- Connect with a mental health professional.
- Create a charter.
- Find a good facilitator.
The Peer Specialist Certification course is a forty (40) hour training followed by a written certification exam. Participants must successfully complete both to become a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS).
