A peer support worker shares a story of making a difference,“My client said, “Do you know who the first person who believed in me was?”

I admitted that I didn’t know.

He said “YOU! You believed in me before I did. You were always sharing what you thought were strengths and talents I had. You kept doing it until I started believing in me too!”

Who are peer support workers?

Peer support workers are people who have experience receiving mental health or addiction services, who have received peer support training, and who have then been hired on contract to provide 1:1 support to others receiving mental health services. Peer support recognizes the value in lived experience: it is one of the qualifications for the work. After receiving training, peer support workers support their peers to achieve personal goals that the client has identified for him or herself, to learn new skills and/or to link with community resources.

Goals vary depending on the needs and interests of each client. Examples include everything from taking a weaving class with someone who is too anxious to go on their own, to supporting a client in job maintenance and retention.

How peer support workers make a difference

Peer support workers  provide services from the perspective of someone who “walks the walk” of recovery and are often in a unique position to inspire hope, speak about resources from the perspective of having used them, and to share strategies and ideas. Clients receive highly personalized, one-to-one support. The system benefits from the opportunity for other mental health workers to work, as colleagues, alongside people who are open about their mental health and addiction issues. This can result in system practices being better informed by lived experience and can also result in the breaking down of stigma.

Testimonials from peer support workers

“It has had a great impact on my life and recovery as a whole.”

“I learned a lot about myself and recovery from taking this course.”

“It has helped me dig that much deeper into who I am and how I conduct myself as a human being forcing me to admit to things about myself and making me aware of the symptoms of my mental health challenge and the skills I need to use in order to help me be authentic in showing up in life.”

Those who work as peer support workers also report the program makes a difference to them. It helps to re-build the confidence that is so often shattered by mental illness and addiction issues. It can fill the often hard to explain gaps in a resume, thereby giving people a “fresh start” in the world of work. It provides people with the chance to “give back.” It allows for the opportunity to see and draw on the positive learning that come from struggles with mental illness and addiction issues, re-framing those struggles as assets.