Table of contents
Peer support : A cross-functional
approach to the fields of chronic illness, mental health, and disabiling situations
Human Sciences Institute in Brittany, November 7, 2018
PROGRAM
CROSS-FUNCTIONALITY: THE COMMON DENOMINATOR
- Plenary session – Peer support: what is it all about?
Eve Gardien, Associate Professor, EXPAIRs program Scientific Director, University of Rennes 2 - Round table – Peer support: coping through action, and leaning on one’s peers
Fanny Moreau, ESPER peer support worker
Alain Marron, physical medicine and rehabilitation center peer supporter
Josée de Félice, peer counsellor, Pemphigus Pemfigoïde France association President
Dominique Tabac, Peer Support Service Development Manager, APF Champagne Ardenne Nord
CROSS-FUNCTIONALITY: WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
- Plenary session- Peer support: what are the effects of status and practice contexts?
Eve Gardien, Christian Laval, Stéphane Héas, EXPAIRs program, Rennes 2 University - Round table: Peer support: the impact of different statuses on practices
Vincent Demassiet, Consultant, French Hearing Voices Network President
Daphné Babin, temporary Peer Worker, Pros Pairs group
Thierry Froger, informal Peer Volunteer, Cap’Handi association
Thomas Bosetti, Psychiatrist, Program Coordinator, Doctors of the World
Davia Ouaklil, FTE Healthcare Peer Supporter for the Housing First program
RATIONALE
Peer support practices for healthcare, disabling situations, and mental health, have existed for several centuries throughout the world. Take, for example: the Popular Health movement created in the 19th century in the US; the numerous war veteran support clubs that sprang up at the beginning of the 20th century in France; and mutual support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous which exist across the globe, etc.
In the Western world, initiatives by and for peers have become much more diversified since the end of the 19th century. This is mostly because of improved living conditions (the struggle for survival is no longer the primary focus of support) and increased life expectancy (new situations targeted for support). Gradually, new causes, identities and affiliations are emerging in a context of growing concern for individuals and their rights and freedoms. Peer support is mostly deployed in collective initiatives in favor of the individual: civil rights; freedom of sexual orientation; informed consumption; de-medicalization; and de-institutionalization, and so on.
With or without a mobilization context, peer support is characterized by a common inspiration found in self-help philosophy, a specific relational posture, the desire to improve everyday life, the valorization of experiential knowledge, self-determination and empowerment.
Today, peer support is attracting renewed interest because it is being promoted by contemporary public policies (RAPT, Housing First, etc.). These recent developments raise new questions, which must be addressed, about identities, peer-to-peer relations, practices, ethics, and organizational frameworks. The effects of institutionalization through public policy are not yet fully understood.
Cross-functionality: the common denominator
The morning session was devoted to understanding why – beyond the boundaries drawn between the so-called disability, chronic illness, and mental health sectors – individuals discover that they are peers of other individuals and share relationships with similar effects; peer groups that do not know each other share common values and objectives.
This cross-functionality approach, which creates common ground in the fields of disability, chronic illness, and mental health, raises several questions: how do peers recognize each other as such today? What problems are we becoming aware of? What solutions are being sought and found?
Cross-functionality: what makes the difference
The afternoon session focused on gaining a better understanding of what makes us different and diverse, despite our common foundations. One major finding emerges from the current survey: practices, status and organizations differ. Peer support worker training and professionalization is the topic of lively debate. Working with institutions and healthcare professionals is open to discussion. In fact, peer support practices are influenced by different statutes, protocols and methodologies, the diversity of commitments made by establishments, associations and federations, and the variety of reception arrangements within multi-professional teams, etc.