Are you interested in peer support? We are looking for commissioners, local groups and organisations to join our peer support in your community advisory group.
What is peer support?
Peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other. Peer support can happen on a one to one basis, online or in a group. It may involve a range of activities such as crafts, walking or meeting for coffee.
What is the Side by Side – Peer support in your community programme?
The Side by Side - peer support in your community programme aims to improve the wellbeing of people experiencing mental health problems by improving the availability, and quality, of community-based peer support across England and Wales. We will do this by working with local hubs to provide peers with networking opportunities, small amounts of funding, coaching and support to set up or develop peer support groups.
A hub is a local organisation who will be the doing the direct work in their area. That includes coaching local people and organisations, giving out funding and holding events. This may be a local mind or an independent organisation. We call them a hub because they will be at the centre of the work we do, bringing local people together to grow peer support in the community.
Our advisory group
Our advisory group will be a collection of people with various skills and experience, who come together to give guidance and advise on the peer support in your community programme. This will involve reviewing the progress, making suggestions for changes, discussing the challenges and sharing your/your organisations experience of peer support.
Our group will consist of:
- People with personal experience of mental health problems who are involved in or lead peer support.
- Community groups and organisations involved in peer support
- People representing the NHS and commissioning.
