Table Of ContentA Facilitator's Guide to
Pee r Led P ro gram ming
Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission
An Agency of the Government of Alberta
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016
https://archive.org/details/peersupportfacilOOolse
PEER SUPPORT:
A FACILITATOR'S
GUIDE TO PEER LED
PROGRAMMING
f
To order additional copies:
contact your local AADAC office (check your telephone directory
for listing under Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission) or call
AADAC Resource Development and Marketing
200-10909 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3M9
CANADA
Toll Free: 1-800-280-9616
Fax: 403-422-5237
ISBN-0-7732-1547-6
© 1 996 A ADAC
Printed in Canada
This resource is a revision of The Peer Support Teacher's Resource
Acknowledgements
Editors:
Barbara Ann Olsen
Lisa Austin, AADAC Consultation, Information & F unded Services
Deirdre Ah Shene, AADAC Consultation, Information & F unded Services
Contributors:
Barb Davis, AADAC Youth Services, Calgary
Helen Handcock, Consultant, Red Deer
Allison Johnson, AADAC Youth Services, Calgary
Debbie Kocay, AADAC Youth Services, Calgary
Nancy Nimmon, AADAC Youth Services, Edmonton
Holly Tibbie, Consultant, Edmonton
Larry Tibbie, Consultant, Edmonton
Project Coordinators:
Cathy Work, AADAC Consultation, Information and Funded Services
Darlene Gartner, AADAC Consultation, Information and Funded Services
Graphic Design:
Greg McIntyre, AADAC Consultation, Information and Funded Services
Rosemary O'Sullivan, AADAC Consultation, Information and Funded Services
Technical Support
Ruth Linekar
Thanks to all the Alberta Ron Pate - B arrhead
teachers, counsellors and Bonnie Pellicano - C algary
facilitators who helped by
Janet Pike - G rande Prairie
providing information on
Art Poettcker - G rande Prairie
their Peer Support teams:
Karen Reynolds - A irdrie
Karen Ainsworth - L acombe
Geri Richardson - C algary
Susan Biendarra - S exsmith
Sharon Shannon - W hitecourt
Tara Billingsley - W etaskiwin
Cindy Skyback - S undre
Dave Boyle - A irdrie
Grant Smith - L acombe
Jane Busowsky - P icture Butte
Carole Solberg - S herwood Park
Maureen Carter - S exsmith
Ron Sweet - C algary
Carol Collier - C algary
Barb Viravec - C rooked Creek
Herky Cutler - C algary
Deb Weir - F ort Saskatchewan
Nancy Davies - C algary
A. Wilson - R ed Deer
Jan Eckert - S herwood Park
Daphne Ferchau - W etaskiwin
Thanks to the following Peer
Dianne Footz - S herwood Park
Support facilitators for
Dawn Gray - A irdrie providing information on
Alice Griffith, Calgary their post-secondary and
Keith Hadden - C algary other community-based Peer
Support Programs:
Deb Hamilton - C algary
Judi Holton - D evon MUnairvleernsei t yB r Cooulwleerg e - T he King's
Sue Hornung - D rumheller
Judy Hancock - U niversity of Alberta
Lawrence Hrycan - P onoka CLaylngna r Kye lley-Sabach - U niversity of
Shelley Jackson - T hree Hills
M. Kirk - T horhild Anna King - R ed Deer College Health
Centre
Gail Klassen - W etaskiwin
Kevin MacLeod - E dmonton Police
Rendean Koudelka - W hitecourt Service
Brian Lalonde - C algary
Caroline Nevin - K eenan
Communications Inc.
Karyn Leidal - C algary
Anita Lethbridge-Gross - L ethbridge Nancy Rose - C ommunity Alcohol
Abuse Prevention for Seniors
Jeannie Lundgard - S herwood Park
Sheila Soder - R ed Deer College
Jim MacFarlane - M edicine Hat Students' Association
Marilyn McDonald - C algary CLyentthhbirai d gSet arzyk-Frey - U niversity of
Jackie McLaren - C algary
Kelly Modin - H ythe
Thanks to the many
Cathy Moore - W etaskiwin
unidentified individuals
Al Morgan - C algary
Ursula Morris - L ethbridge Eapdpmeoanrtionng iPne e ArA DSAuCp'psor t
Fran Morrison - C algary Network video whom we
have quoted throughout the
Gerry Mowatt - E dmonton
manual.
Tracy Muth - A rdrossan
Contents
Acknowledgements 3
Table of Contents 5
1. How to Use this Resource 7
2. Why Is AADAC Involved in Peer Support? 9
3. A M essage from a P rincipal 11
4. About Peer Support 13
1. What Is Peer Support? 13
2. What Issues Does Peer Support Help You Manage? .. .14
3. Where Did Peer Support Come from? 15
4. Program Goals 75
5. What Are the Benefits of Peer Support Programs? ... .16
6. What Is Peer Support Today? 18
7. Growth in the Future? 19
5. Starting a P eer Support Program 23
7. Is a P eer Support Program Possible? 23
2. Am I R eady to Start a P eer Support Program? 23
3. How Do I D evelop a P lan for a P eer Support Program? 25
4. Why Plan for Evaluation? 26
5. How Do I E stablish Support for a P eer
Support Program? 31
6. Recruiting and Selecting Your Peer Support Team . . . .39
7. Who Is a P eer? 39
2. How Can I E nsure the Team Members
Are Seen as Peers? 40
3. What Do Peer Support Members Do? 41
4. What Characteristics Should a P eer Support
Member Have? 42
5. What Might a P rospective Team Member Be Thinking? 42
6. What Are Some Recruiting Methods? 43
7. How Do I K eep Team Size Manageable? 47
8. How Should I S elect My Peer Support Team? 48
9. Should I I nterview Potential Team Members? 57
10. What's Next? 53
1 1. What About Retreats for Peer Support Members? 54
± m 5
Contents
7. Planning for Action with the Team Members 57
7. Why Another Needs Assessment? 57
2. Is There a F ramework to Help Us Organize? 58
3. How Does This Look in Practice? 59
8. Training for the Team 65
7. Why Is Training Important? 65
2. What's Involved in Training a P eer Support Team? ... .66
3. What Training Model is Recommended? 68
4. How Do Training and Activities Relate? 70
5. How Can Interest in Training Be Maintained? 72
6. Training Materials 74
9. Activities and the Role of the Team Leader 75
7. Why Are Activities Essential for Peer Support
Programs? 75
2. What Kinds of Activities Do Peer Support Teams Do? . .77
3. How Much Monitoring of Team Activities Is Required? .79
4. What Are the Key Issues around Confidentiality and
Referrals? .80
5. How Do We Keep Our Program Going? 82
1
6. How Can We Manage Our Team's Image and Visibility? 84
7. How Can We Fund Our Peer Support Program? 85
0 7. Why Is Leadership a K ey to a S uccessful Peer
Support Program? 87
2. What Is the Role of a F acilitator? 88
3. What Are the Top Fourteen Challenges Faced by Peer
.
Support Teams and How Can They Be Managed? 90
4. What Are Some Tips for New Teams? 95
Forms
Retreat Materials
Appendices
Appendix A: Differences Between Elementary, Junior
High and Senior High School Programs
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87
How to Use this Resource 1
The information in this manual is intended to help anyone interested
in establishing a P eer Support Program. The manual's key target
audience is new team facilitators who are thinking about starting a
program. The manual's approach, therefore, is from a f acilitator's
viewpoint. Many of the ideas included in the manual can also be helpful
for experienced facilitators.
The front section of the manual explores the planning and
implementation of a P eer Support Program.
Throughout the manual you'll find sample forms referenced by a number
preceeded by R ( i.e. R1, R2, etc.). These forms are copies of those used
by experienced facilitators. The full size copies are similarly numbered
and found in the forms section. While we have attempted to keep the
manual as generic as possible in terms of how peer support can be
applied, the forms are more specific. Most of the forms are related to
junior/senior high school programs, which make up the majority of peer
support programs. These form masters, letters, posters and evaluations
are included, but may require adaptation to your specific situation. Feel
free to copy them and change them as necessary.
The appendices contains supplementary information on various
applications of peer support that we thought would be useful for a new
facilitator and team. This material includes a l ook at some of the
differences between the elementary, junior high and senior high school
programs, non-school-based examples of peer support and peer support
programs for at-risk youth.
Material for a one-day retreat (high school level) is also provided in the
retreat section, along with sample retreat agendas for other school
levels.
The manual should be seen as a g uideline only. We encourage you to
adapt, change, and improve its contents! Every team is unique and will
benefit from modifying this material to meet its needs.
