How can you create a peer support program?

1 Assess the demand

Before you start designing your peer support program, you need to understand the demand and the gaps in the existing services. You can do this by conducting a needs assessment, which involves gathering information from potential participants, stakeholders, and experts. You can use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other methods to collect data on the demographics, challenges, goals, expectations, and preferences of your target group. You also need to review the literature and the best practices on peer support, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current resources.

2 Define the goals

Based on the results of your needs assessment, you can define the goals and objectives of your peer support program. You need to be clear about what you want to achieve, how you will measure it, and who will benefit from it. You can use the SMART framework to make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, a goal could be to increase the self-esteem and coping skills of 20 people with depression by providing them with 12 weekly peer support sessions.

3 Develop the curriculum

The next step is to develop the curriculum or the content of your peer support program. This includes deciding on the topics, activities, materials, and methods that you will use to deliver the peer support. You need to align your curriculum with your goals and your target group's needs and preferences. You also need to consider the format, duration, frequency, and location of your peer support sessions. For example, you can choose to offer online or in-person sessions, individual or group sessions, structured or flexible sessions, and so on.

4 Recruit and train the peers

One of the most important aspects of your peer support program is the selection and training of the peers who will provide the support. You need to define the criteria and the process for recruiting the peers, such as their qualifications, experience, skills, and availability. You also need to provide them with adequate training and supervision to ensure that they are competent, confident, and ethical in their role. You can use existing training programs or develop your own, depending on your resources and standards.

5 Implement and evaluate the program

The final step is to implement and evaluate your peer support program. You need to have a plan for how you will promote, enroll, and retain the participants, as well as how you will manage the logistics, communication, and feedback. You also need to have a plan for how you will monitor and evaluate the outcomes and impacts of your peer support program, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. You can use tools such as surveys, tests, interviews, or observations to collect data on the satisfaction, engagement, learning, and changes of the participants and the peers.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?