Power of Peer Support Services – in mental health and addiction

https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/ResourceFinder/MHC-power-of-peer-support-services.pdf

Personal choice
For each person the journey of mental distress or
addiction and how they achieve recovery, is unique;
this means services need to be responsive to a range
of needs; peer support has the flexibility to achieve this.

Wanted by consumers
Has been driven by consumers of services and is based
on the accumulated knowledge of people with lived
experience. There is wide support from service users,
consumer leaders and advocates to develop peer services

Recovery focussed
Peer support workers are powerful role models who
inspire hope in those with whom they work.

Occurs within the community
Recovery happens within the ‘everyday’. Peer support
workers walk beside a person to navigate through their
communities to support the personal and social goals
that give recovery its meaning and lead to greater long
term wellbeing