This training module is intended as a set of recommended considerations, rather than a comprehensive list of instructions.
Because your organisation and its individual circumstances will dictate specific variations that are outside the scope of this document, it is not possible to predict all those variations and cater for them here.
There is, however, one universal recommendation for establishing new peer support services: be sure to engage your own existing service users and peer workers in every stage of service planning, design and delivery.
To assist you in gaining clarity around all necessary considerations of setting up the new service, it is a good idea to undertake extensive further reading. See the Centre of Excellence in Peer Support website, as well as the references quoted throughout this training module, for more information.
In line with peer support guiding principles, you can help by adding your experiences and information to the growing body of peer support knowledge and practice. Please document the process of setting up your service, and once established, upload your findings to the Centre of Excellence website for others to use as a resource.
Establishing a new support service progresses through four distinct stages: Planning, Setting Up, Commencing Operations and Monitoring. This training module has been formatted in this way to help you quickly access the most relevant sections.