What is Peer Support? (Part 1)

Peer support, as with a trusted friend or neighbor, is someone able and willing to confidentially offer support. It can take the form of listening, which I think of as a generosity of time, where you pause your own activity and thoughts while you try to understand why someone thinks and feels the way they do. Peer support can take place between any two people or members of a group, but because the term is generally associated with the workplace, I tend to refer to them as coworkers. A way to support coworkers is to form peer support teams. Peer support team members are specially trained to offer support and are knowledgeable about resources. They are intentionally not a professional counselor or therapist.

Peer support team members are uniquely qualified because they are coworkers who often understand the stressors of the workplace and demands of the work, and may have had similar experiences on or off the job. Well-trained and skilled peer support teams can elevate a workgroup’s expectation of wellbeing. Peer support is the wellness workforce multiplier.