Director’s blog: Growing peer support in Scotland
Our Director, Louise Christie reflects on 2024 and shares some exciting plans for 2025!
Happy New Peer! A warm welcome to 2025!
Like many people I am coming to 2025 with ambitions and hopes but also with worries. I am aware of the challenges we face. We have a mental health system that is not meeting demand or needs in a time of financial pressures. This is a long-term complex situation but it is also an opportunity. A chance for us to work together to develop a mental health system powered by lived experience. A chance to make mental health recovery real across Scotland.
Reflecting on 2024
In 2024 we were focused on collaborating with as many people as possible to champion peer support. Feeding into and bolstering the peer support commitment outlined in the Scottish Government and COSLA Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan.
We started with The Future is Peer, a large gathering of people delivering and interested in peer support. This event featured your amazing, innovative peer recovery work. It set the tone for the year ahead where the profile of peer support grew at a local and national level.
Throughout the year we brought people together to share innovation and learning through our Peer Connects events programme. In addition, we supported many different groups, organisations and services through Creating Hope with Peer Support and Making Peer Practical. Look out for a podcast at the end of the month where we interview one of the Making Peer Practical participants!
Our mental health system has many different parts. Our work with you helps us to champion the role of peer support to get it the recognition it deserves. It has also laid solid foundations for even more work in 2025 and beyond!
- Highlights from 2024 (flipbook)- With thousands of views it seems like the flipbook approach to sharing information is a hit! So here’s our latest flipbook with some of the highlights and free resources from 2024!
- Highlights from 2024 (pdf version)
Growing peer support
In 2025 we will be bringing together the many great examples of peer support with the data from The Big Scottish Peer Support Survey. This will be complimented by learning from the development of peer support and recovery in other countries. Look out for our series of short Insight Reports setting out the innovation already happening, the potential for peer support and what is needed to grow peer support in Scotland.
And of course in true Scottish Recovery Network style we will continue to provide opportunities with and for people, groups, services, as we bring you together to share invaluable lived experiences and peer support learning. We’ve been listening to what you tell us you need in terms of practical support and have some exciting things in development including:
- A new Peer Connects events programme
- Developing a framework for peer support in Scotland
- Rolling out our new Peer2Peer training and establishing new peer learning partnerships
- Building peer support capacity and raising the profile of the vital role of peer support in suicide prevention
- Championing the growth of peer support and sharing impact by showcasing examples of Peer Support in Action!
I know that it is going to be a busy year for all of us but it’s time for a new future for mental health in Scotland. A future that embraces lived experience and peer support. Systems change that means that people get the support they need, when and where they need it.
We look forward to working with you. The Future is Peer!
Louise
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