Peer Support Program
Peer Support: Emotional Engagement and Relationship Building in our Community
The Peer Support Program, led by our Senior Peer Support Worker Ryan, provides emotional support for people experiencing homelessness. Held every Friday 9am-12:30pm at The Hub, the purpose of the sessions is to deepen our relationship with our patients and engage with them on an emotional level.
The program allows patients to drop in and speak to a Peer Support Worker one-on-one. Whether seeking guidance, support or even just for a chat, all patients ar welcome.
Our main goal is to assist our patients in achieving better health. We provide a wide range of physical and mental health services in order to do this. This program forms part of our holistic approach, as emotional wellbeing is an important part of overall health.
Social and Emotional Support and Health
Social and emotional support are intertwined with the health behaviours of ourselves and others. Research has shown that positive support and encouragement can influence engagement in health behaviours. For example, the number of people taking up exercising or quitting smoking has been proven to increase when positively encouraged by their peers.
At the heart of this program is the need to connect with our patients, especially those who may feel apprehensive about being in a medical setting. Some of our patients may also feel more comfortable confiding in someone who isn’t a Doctor and can speak to them as a friend.
Ryan first started his journey at Homeless Healthcare as a patient of Dr Davies. Since then, he has created meaningful change around the organisation. He was the first Peer Support Worker at HHC and has helped develop the Peer Support component of our services in his four years with us. Ryan’s experience as both a patient and a support worker has given him empathy and understanding of some of the experiences that a person can undergo in these circumstances.
Being able to connect and relate with patients on this level can encourage trust and a deeper connection, and creates a safe space for patients to share whatever is on their mind. In cases surrounding issues that people might feel are ‘stigmatised’ or ‘shameful’, it can be comforting to have a non-judgemental and less formal environment to share their problems.