Peer Support Success

Peer Support programs are being implemented in organisations across Australia and New Zealand. There was a time when peer support was seen as mainly having application within the Emergency Services. Currently, a wide range of organisations have seen peer support as a means of assisting their employees to deal with both acute and cumulative stress issues.

Within some organisations, peer support programs have been short-lived. On a number of occasions I've been asked about what is required for a peer support program to be successful. I suggest the following points are important.

1. Endorsement, financial support and encouragement of management.
   Peer support programs need to be encouraged and supported from the top. Keep management informed and involved, and don't treat the program like a `secret society'.
2. Appropriate initial training.
   Initial training needs to be structured and focussed towards the peer support role. Some groups provide peer support training, which is really just a one-day course on counselling skills, and this is not appropriate for what the program requires.
3. Dedicated co-ordination.
   The effective co-ordination of a peer support program is crucial and shouldn't be just another job added to a staff counsellor's duties, or dumped on a willing, but busy, staff member.
4. A peer support policy, customised to the organisation.
   Peer support programs should have a clear, well documented policy, which includes a set of guidelines, or some form of `Code of Practice'. This needs to be unique to the organisation. The practice of just taking someone else's policy and changing the name at the top of the page, doesn`t do a team justice. However, many programs have benefitted from the knowledge shared by more experienced teams.
5. Staff education and awareness raising.
   Some organisations introduce peer support programs, then just expect the process to happen. Like any new initiative, peer support requires the awareness and education of the employees who may use the program. This could come via inductions, talks, brochures, newsletters, educational sessions, training seminars and audio-visual productions.
6. Management / supervisor education.
   The support and encouragement of management is essential to the recognition and growth of a support program. Keep managers informed as to what the team is doing and ensure they have a good understanding of the program aims, peer supporter roles and team procedures.
7. Regular peer support meetings.
   The most effective programs appear to have meetings and review sessions at least a half-day every three or four months. These could also include some on-going and advanced training for team members.
8. Evaluation and review of the program.
   We often don't know how effective peer support is, due to confidentiality requirements and the informal, low-key nature of the peer support role. When funding becomes as issue, however, there needs to be some evaluation of just what a peer support program means to the organisation. Consider keeping non-disclosive contact statistics, recording positive comments, surveying employees on their impressions of the program and regularly reviewing team practices and procedures.