What are effective strategies for navigating power dynamics and privilege in peer support?

2 Create safe and inclusive spaces

Another strategy to navigate power dynamics and privilege in peer support is to create safe and inclusive spaces where peers can feel comfortable, respected, and valued. Safe and inclusive spaces are environments where peers can express themselves freely, share their stories, and seek support without fear of judgment, discrimination, or harm. To create such spaces, peer supporters need to establish clear boundaries, ground rules, and expectations for peer support interactions, and to ensure that they are consistent, transparent, and fair. Moreover, peer supporters need to facilitate the participation and engagement of all peers, especially those who may feel marginalized or silenced, and to encourage diversity and inclusion in peer support groups and networks.

3 Practice self-awareness and reflexivity

A third strategy to navigate power dynamics and privilege in peer support is to practice self-awareness and reflexivity. Self-awareness and reflexivity are the abilities to examine and understand one's own thoughts, feelings, actions, and impacts on others, and to adjust them accordingly. Peer supporters need to be aware of their own power and privilege, and how they may affect their peer support relationships and roles. For example, peer supporters may need to question their own assumptions, biases, and motives, and to acknowledge their own limitations, gaps, and blind spots. Furthermore, peer supporters need to be reflexive, which means to continuously monitor and evaluate their peer support practices, and to seek feedback and learning opportunities to improve them.

4 Seek supervision and support

A fourth strategy to navigate power dynamics and privilege in peer support is to seek supervision and support from other peer supporters or professionals. Supervision and support are essential for maintaining the quality, ethics, and effectiveness of peer support, as well as for preventing burnout, stress, and vicarious trauma. Peer supporters can benefit from supervision and support by receiving guidance, advice, validation, and constructive criticism from others who have more experience, knowledge, or skills in peer support. Additionally, peer supporters can benefit from support by accessing resources, referrals, and networks that can enhance their peer support capacity and competence.

5 Collaborate and advocate

A fifth strategy to navigate power dynamics and privilege in peer support is to collaborate and advocate with other peers, organizations, and stakeholders. Collaboration and advocacy are ways of working together to achieve common goals, address shared issues, and amplify collective voices. Peer supporters can collaborate and advocate by forming alliances, partnerships, and coalitions with other peer support groups and initiatives, and by joining or creating platforms, forums, and campaigns that promote peer support values, principles, and practices. Moreover, peer supporters can collaborate and advocate by influencing policies, systems, and structures that affect peer support, and by challenging the stigma, discrimination, and oppression that peers face.

6 Celebrate and appreciate

A sixth strategy to navigate power dynamics and privilege in peer support is to celebrate and appreciate the diversity, uniqueness, and strengths of peers. Celebrating and appreciating peers means to acknowledge, respect, and value their differences, similarities, and contributions to peer support. Peer supporters can celebrate and appreciate peers by expressing gratitude, recognition, and encouragement, and by providing positive feedback, compliments, and rewards. Furthermore, peer supporters can celebrate and appreciate peers by creating opportunities for fun, joy, and connection, and by sharing stories, cultures, and traditions that enrich peer support.

7 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?