Peer Support
National Training Workshop
Burlington, VT
By Douglas B. Carmon
National AgrAbility Project Manager
Definition
Definition
• PEER (pir) n.
– 1. A person who has equal
standing with another, such
as in age, gender, disability
and life experiences
– 2. Archaic. A companion;
fellow
Definition
• A peer is someone who
may or may not be like us
in obvious ways, but is
someone with whom we
share a basic humanity,
uniqueness, or experience
Definition
• All people share universal
human experiences
• By virtue of this shared
humanity,
we are all
peers
Definition
• System of giving and
receiving help founded on
key principles of respect,
shared responsibility, and
mutual agreement of what is
considered to be helpful
Characteristics
• Mutual respect
• Positive regard
• Empowerment of the client
– the assumption that the client
has the solutions to his/her
own problems and does not
need your advice of direction
• Genuineness
– being oneself
– authenticity
Characteristics
• Acceptance of differences
– does not mean agreement, but
acceptance based on respect
• Empathy
– allowing oneself to feel with
another person
• Intention to be of service to
another
Skills
• Listening from the heart
– listening with an open
heart
– willing to be touched by
another
– willing to engage with
another person's
emotions
Skills
• Speaking from the heart
– speaking authentically
– honest self-expression
Skills
• Acting from the heart in
service to another person
– acting based on compassion,
caring, and an intention to
be of service to another
Peer Program
• Designed to bring answers and
support to people with newly
acquired disabilities, as well as
people who have been disabled
for some time
Peer Volunteer
• An individual who has adjusted
well to being disabled and is
living independently
Peer Volunteer
• Meet with participants with similar
disabilities and share information
about adaptive equipment, family and
marital issues, transportation,
employment and education
• Sharing experiences & information
– Emotionally
– Physically
– Psychologically
Peer Volunteer Benefits
• Increases feeling of self-worth
and accomplishment—
contributing to help another &
the community
• “Inspiring” others often
inspires the Peer Volunteer
• Improves interpersonal and
communication skills
Peer Recipient Benefits
• Provides opportunity to achieve
a greater level of independence
and self-sufficiency through
role modeling and
encouragement
• Participant is often encouraged
to take sensible risks
– Peer Volunteers can often
accomplish this better than
professionals
Peer Recipient Benefits
• Peers can often motivate people to
do things previously thought as
impossible
• Development of
better coping skills
–
–
–
–
–
Community
Red tape
Attitudes
Modifications
Adaptations
Peer Recipient Benefits
• Often receive emotional
support and new techniques for
managing problems
• Learn self-advocacy skills
• Have a role model to follow to
enhance self-worth, a sense of
identification by reduction of
isolation and separation
Bottom line…
• Help where help will
be accepted
• Enable self
directed
solutions
• Referrals
• Do no harm
– Be safe to self and others