An introduction to the peer support in your community toolkit
The peer support in your community toolkit is for people interested in mental health peer support happening in the community. On this page, you'll find out what it includes, and how to use it.
How was the toolkit developed?
This toolkit arose out of the Mind Side by Side peer support programme, which ran between September 2014 and December 2016. The toolkit was updated in 2021 to reflect learning from later programmes.
Who is the toolkit for?
The toolkit is for people who are:
- Supporting and being supported through peer support
- Setting up and running a peer support group or project
- Involved in commissioning peer support projects
How to use this toolkit
One of the key characteristics of peer support is that it's shaped by those involved, and adapts to the needs of individuals and the community. There’s no single ‘right way’ to do peer support.
You can use this toolkit like a workbook, going through each section and using the tools to have conversations with other people involved in peer support with you. Or, you can dip in and out of the toolkit as you need, picking the bits that are most helpful to you at the moment.
This toolkit is designed to help you reflect and plan. It can support you to think through important decisions that need to be made. This will be helpful whether you’re involved in an established project or just starting out on your journey with peer support. There may be sections in this toolkit that are more or less helpful for you, depending on your specific project.
Using the toolkit as a group
This toolkit is designed in sections, containing information and activities we hope will be useful to you. It includes a range of tools and questions to help you reflect on current and future ways of working. Many of these are interactive and have been designed to be discussed as a group.
Your conversations could involve current peer support members, people who are interested in setting up a new group, or just some friends who can help you think through your ideas.
No matter who's involved, thinking and making decisions about the way your peer support works can be hard. If you’re setting up peer support for the first time, there are lots of decisions to make and you may come across some unfamiliar ideas.
If you’re already involved in an established project, it can be hard to see past what is currently happening and reflect on how you would like it to be in the future. This toolkit is here to help you.
What does the toolkit cover?
The understanding peer support section covers the 6 core values of peer support:
In the setting up peer support section, there's information on:
We have several pages on how to keep your peer support going:
Check out our activities to help you set up and manage your group. They include setting ground rules, mapping out your venue, and planning what resources you might need.
If you currently fund, or you're thinking of funding a peer support group, check out our tips for commissioning effectively.
Developing peer support with others
If you’re developing your peer support with others, it may be useful to identify the skills, strengths and experiences that each of you bring. People’s strengths in your group might include:
- Developing new ideas
- Practical problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Connecting with others easily
- Knowing the right people for a specific task
- Knowing useful people
When you start to work together, take some time to discuss and write down what each of you bring to the group. You will likely discover and reconnect with further strengths as your work progresses.
