Peer Support

Since 2016 The Cellar Trust have been pioneers in Peer Support, training our committed team to safely harness their lived experience to provide understanding and hope to our clients.

Our Peer Support Workforce:

We have embraced and developed the unique benefits of Peer Support so that it now makes up 87% of our front-line workforce.

Our award-winning partnership with BDCFT, plus engagement in national programmes such as ENRICH, has allowed us to develop and establish a strong, and effective model. The unique brand of wrap around/enhanced support has been essential to this – our Peer Support Workers, whatever their role, are integral to the wider network and to our success.

Running monthly, our team Peer Support Group, provides staff with a safe and supportive space to discuss their wellbeing and reflect on client work. Within this group we discuss the differences and similarities of applying Peer Support within our different services, and are able to further deliberate the themes discussed in the original training.

Peer Support Training

Since 2016 The Cellar Trust have provided internal Peer Support Training to empower our workers and ensure consistency of support standards throughout the organisation.

The training is a two day course, currently carried out remotely over Zoom. The course is designed to increase confidence in the Peer Support setting by discussing boundaries within the working relationship, covering a variety of active listening/communication skills, whilst also looking at the core principles of a trauma informed approach to working.

If comfortable, the attendees are also given the opportunity to share their own story of lived experience in a confidential and supportive setting. This can prepare the worker for safe and appropriate self-disclosure within the Peer Support Worker/Client relationship. The course finishes by looking at the important issue of self-care and reflection to prepare the worker with the essential tools to preserve their own wellbeing.

Attendee feedback:

• 90% of attendees thought that the training was excellent, with 10% feeling it was good

• 100% of attendees either strongly agreed or agreed with the following:

– The training met my expectations
– I will be able to apply the knowledge learned
– The trainer was knowledgeable
– Participation and interaction was encouraged
– Adequate time was provided for discussion

‘My colleagues and I are working in an organisation that practices what it preaches, which is not a given!’

‘I have been encouraged and enabled to grow and develop professionally which in turn has helped me in all areas of my life.’

The Mutual Benefits Of Peer Support:

In our recent staff feedback questionnaire….

• 91% of people believe that Peer Support Work has improved their own wellbeing
• 97% of staff feel like they’re giving back
• 91% of our team report an increased sense of purpose
• 96% of staff feel become more resilient by doing Peer Support work
• 96% report increased opportunities that they wouldn’t have had anywhere else