Peer Support Volunteers Wanted

What Is Peer Support?

Peer Support is “a system of giving and receiving help founded on key principles of respect, shared responsibility, and mutual agreement of what is helpful” (Mead, Hilton, and Curtis, 2001).

Peer Support is the supportive relationship between what youth who have in common: that is, personal knowledge about mental illness gained through direct, first-hand experience; and the experience of supporting a loved one, family member, or a friend. Through our evidence-based support programs, our youth can find hope for recovery and for a healthy future.

Description

The purpose of the Youth Peer Support Group Drop-in Program is to provide a safe, encouraging, and inclusive atmosphere of support by using the guidance of professionals studying and working in the field of mental health.

Volunteers must be a reliable resource for their peers by contributing to building life and mental health wellness skills in a support group setting.

Location: This is a virtual support program in an online format.

Number of Positions: Maximum 4 volunteers

Schedule: 2 to 5 hours per week

Start Date: February 2023

Your Skills And Strengths

• Communication
• Creativity
• Empathy
• Interpersonal Relations
• Leadership
• Organization
• Computer and Internet Literacy
• Group Facilitation
• Teamwork
• Marketing
• Lived Experience

Duties And Responsibilities

• Complete an initial orientation and shadowing of Hope + Me drop-in groups.
• Participate in marketing and facilitation of Saturday support groups.
• On-call availability to reply to participant e-mails, and further communicate with participants to provide resources in a respectful, compassionate, and empathetic manner.
• Develop relationships with the greater Hope + Me community.
• Collaborate, communicate, and attend meetings (in person, e-mail, telephone, virtual) with colleagues and with the specific team.
• Provide and maintain accurate participant contact information; MS Excel spreadsheet skills are desirable.

Role Of Youth Peer Support Facilitator

Objective 1: Enhance knowledge on mental health, life skills, peer support, and topics discussed in groups.

Objective 2: Enhance communication skills by interacting with Hope + Me staff and by disseminating mental health information in a respectful, accurate, and creative manner: creation of topics in group discussions, composing of e-mails, monitoring of participant lists, providing support with facilitation of groups, giving feedback, and other means as needed.

Objective 3: Identify and provide support to individuals who may require extra information beyond the program, who have acute struggle with their mental health, or who have technical or accessibility challenges, and provide all participants with appropriate resources.

Objective 4: Maintain organization, leadership, and teamwork skills through regular meetings to plan for groups and meet requests of the Hope + Me community.

Objective 5: Improve self-confidence, self-awareness, resiliency, and adaptive and management skills in an inclusive environment.