Peer Support Services

Self help and peer support programmes have been at the heart of community development in New Zealand since the first pakeha settlers arrived. In the publication Defining the Nonprofit Sector: New Zealand  Tennant, Saunders,  O'Brien and Castle provide a rich historical background to these developments from the early missionaries and benevolent ladies to family self help of IHC and the re-emergence of Maori tino rangatiratanga through the voices of organisations  such as  Nga Tamatoa.

Self help has been the driver of many social change movements and shaped service delivery for example addictions and HIV.

Peer Support in the mental health field is really taking off in New Zealand and there has been significant exchange with leaders from the peer support movement in the United States.

Some of the key influences have been the work of Shery Mead , Meta Services who have visited and undertaken training and still maintain linkage. There are now numerous examples of local programs being purchased by District Health Boards as well as organisations that offer a range of activities, services and training. In the recent  NgOIT Workforce survey 5% of the respondents identified as peer workers.

The following two programmes are examples of peer support programmes and I you know of other you think should be here email us info "at" platform.org.nz  

Buddies

 Buddies is a Wellington based peer support service  to people who self identify as experiencing a mental illness or who have used mental health services. Buddies volunteers draw on strengths and experience gained from having used mental health services themselves

  • All buddies volunteers go through an interview process and training program
  • People who would like to be matched with a buddies volunteer contact the buddies office
  • The buddies' coordinator meets with people wanting a buddy to find out their interests and expectations from the service
  • The buddies coordinator introduces the person to a buddies volunteer with similar interests and goals
  • The buddies volunteer and the person they are matched with decide between them when to meet and what to do
  • Buddies organises events for all volunteers and buddies to meet and have fun together

For further information contact buddies - phone (04) 385 2104 or (021) 960 060 or email buddies.wn "at" paradise.net.nz or pop in and see us on Level 6 NZEI House 178 Willis Street, Wellington

Warm lines

A warm line is a free phone support service staffed by volunteers specifically for people who use mental health services. Volunteers are people who have used mental health services themselves. The first Warm line was begun by Welllink Trust to support people to have an easy point of contact rather than having to ring either the emergency crisis mental health team or the more generic Samaritans phone line.  

Wellink Warm line operates from 7.00pm – 1.00am Tuesday - Sunday.  Warm line's telephone number is 0800 200 207.

Whatever It Takes

This is the story of consumer activism in Napier that has lead from drop-in to a staunchly consumer directed peer support service.