Thornton Heath Open Group

The Positive Place provides a wide range of social and support groups for a variety of different communities. 

What is Peer Support at The Positive Place?

Peer support for people living with HIV a chronic illness and with similar life experiences has proven to be tremendously important towards helping many move through difficult situations.  In general, peer support has been defined by the fact that people who have like experiences can better relate and can consequently offer more authentic empathy and validation.  It also provides people with similar lived experiences to offer each other practical advice and suggestions for strategies that health care professionals may not offer or even know about. 

 In peer support relationships it is important to remember that it is not our task to asses or evaluate each other but rather to say what we see (our perspective), what we feel, and what we need to build connection.

What standards do The Positive Place define the helping relationship in peer support?

Peer support promotes critical learning and re-naming of experiences

The culture of peer support provides a sense of community

There is great flexibility in the kinds of support provided by peers

Peer support activities, meetings and conversations are instructive

There is mutual responsibility across peer relationships

Peer support is being clear about and setting limits

Peer support involves high levels of safety