Peer Support Project

The Peer Support Project is a partnership between Southdown Housing Association and BHT. The aim of the service is to prevent rough sleeping by providing an alternative ‘self management’ support model enabling individuals to successfully maintain their independence and achieve long term tenancy sustainment.

The concept of ‘Peer Support’ is relatively new and has mainly been pioneered as part of on going after care support for people who have left drug treatment centres and Prison. Although its importance is growing, there is still a limited number of projects nationally, and to date this is a very rare element of the Supporting People programme.

What does Peer2Peer offer?

• We currently run two Drop-in advice sessions every week, which service users can come along to for help and advice with any issue or problem that they are facing.

• We also run regular ‘self-advocacy’ practical workshops designed around common support needs identified by our service users e.g. mental health and wellbeing, food and mood, managing your money, support in returning to work etc.

• We offer two telephone advice sessions per week at set times, and can also offer support via our own online group or via e-mail.

• We run occasional social activities for our service users to meet up and do something fun together, for example in December 2007 we organised a Xmas quiz with festive food.

Who is Peer2Peer for?

• The service is based in Brighton & Hove, and can work with people who are coming to the end of their floating support but feel that they would benefit from ongoing support.

• We also recruit peer support volunteers who are trained and supervised to provide support alongside the peer support co-ordinators.

Further information

If you are interested in finding out more about our peer support service, then please contact either:

Justin Parker
Southdowns Housing Association
Tel: 07970 861884
Email: j.parker@southdownhousing.org

&

Jim Keohan
BHT
Tel: 07834 979016
Email: jim.keohan@bht.org.uk

In addition to the Coordinators, the service utilises volunteers to deliver support in a group context. Referrals come primarily from other services working with single homeless men and women.