Somerset Peer Connections
Community
Peer Connections is a free service that offers support to people aged 18+ living in Somerset with a diagnosed or undiagnosed Serious Mental Illness (SMI)—Schizophrenia, Psychosis, Bipolar or a Personality Disorder. Our peer volunteer team have had their own challenges with mental health and found coping strategies and skills that worked for them. They will have a good understanding of your experiences, feelings and thoughts. This delivered as part of Open Mental Health is an alliance of local voluntary organisations, the NHS and social care, Somerset County Council, and individuals with lived experience of mental health.
The Benefits of Peer Mentoring: Some of the benefits of either giving or receiving peer support are:
- Increased understanding and insight into mental health issues
- Improved coping strategies
- Increased confidence and self-esteem
- Improved optimism and hopefulness
- An increased understanding and/or new perspective on owning a wellbeing journey
A peer mentor will listen to you without judgment. They will offer you support based on their own lived experience and give you the opportunity to think about what you’d like to achieve and
share ideas that have worked for them.
Volunteer to become a Peer Mentor
People become peer mentor volunteers for many reasons: to connect with other people, support others through their experience, find a sense of purpose, or gain experience and confidence for employment. Peer mentoring can help maintain a mentor’s recovery as well as aiding those receiving support. We value your experience Mentors are supported at every step in a way that meets their individual needs, from starting training, all the way through to being introduced and mentoring someone who needs support. The free training gives mentors the information, tools, resources and knowledge they need to help others.
Our peer mentors’ experiences are powerful tools that help them support other people facing similar struggles with mental health. Please check Spark-a-Change volunteering database to see current
vacancies for Peer Mentors.
You can get in touch with us at peerconnections@rethink.org
Peer Connections Leaflet