Worthing and Arun
Mind
Peer Mentoring and Personal Development
This course is accredited by Open College Network (OCN) and is offered at level one; equivalent to a NVQ Level 1, GCSE D-G and
a Foundation Diploma.
The training takes place over ten weeks, with each session lasting three hours. The sessions are interactive and varied, using a
range of teaching methods and resources to meet individual needs.
Throughout the course, learners complete a weekly learning journal to reflect upon each lesson and how it has impacted upon them
on a personal level. Each learning journal becomes part of a journey, where learners document new insights, leading to an
increased level of awareness.
Session 1
An introduction to
peer support
1. Introductions and group expectations.
2. “What is peer support?” – The different types of peer support and how formal peer support has been used
to support people in mental health and non-mental health services.
3. The history/evolution of peer support within mental health services e.g. national survivor network.
4. “Who benefits from peer support?” – Learners explore benefits of peer mentoring to the mentor and
mentee, drawing upon aspects of the recovery model.
Session 2
1. The sharing of information – how this may differ in a person’s range of roles and relationships.
The boundaries of
2. Identify the boundaries needed within the peer mentoring relationship.
the Peer Mentor role
3. Explore how boundaries facilitate safe and healthy relationships within peer mentoring.
Session 3
Confidentiality and
signposting
1. Review of the boundaries needed for the peer mentor role.
2. “What is confidentiality?” – how confidentiality is part of a peer mentoring relationship, the limitations of
confidentiality and when/how it may need to be broken.
3. Signposting – identifying the limitations of the peer mentor role and when it might be appropriate to
signpost.
Session 4
Communication
skills
4. Explore the range of external agencies on a national and local level to support a peer mentee’s broader
needs.
1. Stereotyping – identifying the impact of appearance and dress upon perceptions, and how that might
affect the peer mentoring relationship.
2. Introduction of Mehrabian’s communication model, highlighting the importance of body language as an
important communication tool.
3. Skills practice – how to use non-verbal communication within a helping relationship.
4. Identifying strengths and areas for development in own communication skills.
Session 5
Active listening skills
1. Introduce SOLER from Egan’s skilled helper model as an aid for one to one work with a peer mentee.
2. Skills practice – using a range of scenarios, exploration of how it feels to experience being listened to/not
listened to.
3. Skills practice – introducing reflection, summaries and paraphrasing as an active listening tool.
4. Identifying strengths and areas for development in own listening skills.
Session 6
Communication/
Interpersonal skills
1. Explore the use of questions within the helping relationship.
2. Feedback – explore the difference between constructive and destructive criticism.
3. Skills practice – using the feedback sandwich.
4. “What is confidence?” – identifying low and high levels of confidence and the ways in which confidence
can be improved.
Session 7
Looking after
yourself as a peer
mentor
1. Identify the sign, symptoms and causes of stress.
2. Introduce the terms transference and countertransference – their roles and impact within the helping
relationship.
3. Define emotional wellbeing and the ways in which to feel well, cope well and stay well.
Session 8
Mental health
awareness
1. Identify a range of mental health problems, including their signs and symptoms.
2. Explore treatment/support options on offer within primary care, secondary care and third sector
organisations.
3. Explore the role of peer mentoring in community case management and its benefits.
Session 9
Working in a goal
orientated way
1. Introduce the “three stages of helping” as part of Egan’s skilled helper model
2. Identify how SMART can facilitate realistic goal setting
3. Skills practice – writing an action plan.
4. Explore the reasons for continual review and assessment of work.
Session 10
1. Drawing upon experience of last session to explore personal attitudes to endings and how to manage an
healthy ending with a peer mentee.
Endings
2. Engage in some group ending activities – messages to each other, reviewing their development
throughout the course.
3. Identifying hopes for the future and next steps