Peer support

Peer support occurs when people provide emotional or practical help to each other. It commonly refers to a support initiative, normally within a school or university, to help pupils deal with issues such as bullying, stress, or other problems that they may come across while at school. This form of peer support normally consists of trained teenagers, and can take a number of forms, such as mentors, listening, or counseling. Peer support is also used to refer to initiatives where colleagues, members of self help organizations and others meet as equals to give each other support on a reciprocal basis. "Peer" in this case is taken to imply that each person has no more expertise as a supporter than the other and the relationship is one of equality.

Peer Listening

This form of Peer support is the most common form, and the most widely used within Schools. Peer Supporters are trained, normally from within schools or universities, or sometimes by outside organizations, such as Childline's CHIPS (Childline In Partnership With Schools) program, to be active "listeners". Within schools, peer-supporters are normally available at break or lunch times.

Peer Mediation

Whereby incidents of bullying are overcome by bringing the victim and the bully together, under mediation by one of their peers.

Peer support in mental health

Consumers/survivors of mental health programs grouping together and forming non profit organizations that serve to support each other in mental health and challenging associated stigma and discrimination. See also Certified Peer Support Specialist, Self-help, Self-help groups for mental health, Person centered planning and Self-determination.

Peer support in addiction

Twelve-step programs for overcoming substance misuse are often based on peer-support.

External links

* [http://www.peersupport.org/PeerTrng.htm Peer Support.org Training page]
* [http://www.mhrecovery.org/ The Institute for Recovery and Community Integration]
* [http://www.golivewire.com/ Web-Based Peer Support for Teens and College Students]
* [http://www.power2u.org/index.html Power2u.org]
* [http://dailystrength.org/ Peer Support Groups at DailyStrength.org]
* [http://www.co-counselling.org Co-Counselling International]
* [http://www.samhsa.gov/ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration]
* [http://www.pfr.samhsa.gov/docs/AZPeer_web_article.pdf Testing the Efficacy of Peer Support for Recovery Management]
* [http://www.michiganpeersupport.org Mental Health On- line peer support Group]
* [http://www.psych.uic.edu/uicnrtc/webcast1.htm Webcast that describes the evidence base for consumer-operated, delivered, and centered services]