5.2.2 Peer Mentoring

• Emotional well-being training and support

Training and support are needed to protect the emotional wellbeing of Service Coordinators (and Peer Mentors), mitigating risks to mental health of Service Coordinators/Peer Mentors, empathy fatigue, and to recognise the contribution of those volunteering (who could be paid for time spent training). Existing measures include reflective practice, trauma informed training, and clinical supervision, but the further consultation (see below) should include discussion of unmet training or support needs for Service Coordinators and Peer Mentors (e.g., training to protect against emotional fatigue or develop emotional resilience), and to determine and address lack of awareness/access to existing support.

• Benefits outweigh challenges

There are clear challenges to Peer Mentoring in Housing First. But on the balance of evidence for benefits to customers, the value in developing the fundamental customer-Housing First relationship and with consideration of the following recommendations, the potential value Peer Mentoring is judged to outweigh the challenges. As below, we recommend additional consultation with Peer Mentors to consider additional areas for improvement.

• Continue the evolution of protocols and processes following further consultation

Protocols and processes within Peer Mentoring have evolved with learning from an earlier model. The current model includes: matching customers-Peer Mentors based on assets and personal connection (rather than addiction or common negative experience); provision of work phones; training on worst care scenarios; hand-over protocols for Peer Mentors who are leaving/moving to paid employment (another benefit of the programme); recording of all interactions with customers; ongoing monitoring (see below). Moreover, as customers are in Housing First properties, there are fewer challenges in maintaining contact with customers and finding safe meeting places.

• Further consultation with Peer Mentors

A further workshop/consultation event with Peer Mentors should be used to identify ways to improve the existing model. Specific enquiries would include (but not be limited to):

- Potential issues if Peer Mentors were paid - possible effects on customer perceptions towards PMs, or is the lived experience element the most important attribute - How to better promote maintaining appropriate Peer Mentor-customer boundaries - How to replace the VOICES learning programme after March 2022. - What support Peer Mentors require to feel better equipped to respond to customer queries about the programme and if such support is available, but not widely recognised or accessed (e.g., clinical supervision)