Enhancing Support, Incentives, and Resources: Creating and Facilitating Peer Support Groups
Portions of this section adapted from The Self-Help Leader's Handbook: Leading Effective Meetings by Adrienne Paine-Andrews, Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, Stephen B. Fawcett, and Leslie Borck Jameson, with the collaboration of Melody G. Embree, published by the Research and Training Center on Independent Living at the University of Kansas.
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WHAT ARE PEER SUPPORT GROUPS?
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WHY CREATE AND FACILITATE A PEER SUPPORT GROUP?
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WHO CAN BE SERVED BY PEER SUPPORT GROUPS?
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HOW DO YOU CREATE A PEER SUPPORT GROUP?
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HOW DO YOU FACILITATE A PEER SUPPORT GROUP?
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TIPS ON KEEPING A PEER SUPPORT GROUP GOING
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TIPS ON HANDLING DIFFICULT GROUP MEMBERS
Did you know that there are over 500,000 support groups in the United States? Because they are both inexpensive and effective ways to offer assistance to people dealing with a variety of concerns, support groups have become a common method of serving the needs of people who are experiencing problems in their lives.
Support groups can be found in big cities, small towns, and even rural areas, dealing with anything from substance abuse and gambling addiction to surviving domestic violence to gender issues.
If your group or initiative does service work with people who might benefit from talking to others who have similar experiences to their own, perhaps you should consider adding a peer support group to the services you offer.
WHAT ARE PEER SUPPORT GROUPS?
Support groups - also often referred to as self-help groups - are groups of people who gather to share common problems and experiences associated with a particular problem, condition, illness, or personal circumstance. In a support group, people are able to talk with other folks who are like themselves - people who truly understand what they're going through and can share the type of practical insights that can only come from firsthand experience.
Some of the common characteristics of support groups include:
- They are made up of peers - people who are all directly affected by a particular issue, illness, or circumstance
- They usually have a professional or volunteer discussion leader or facilitator
- They tend to be fairly small in size, to better allow everyone a chance to talk
- Attendance is voluntary (although sometimes people are required to attend support groups by employers or the court system, especially if criminal or destructive behavior has been involved)
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