Peers supporters (sometimes known as wellbeing focal points) are team members trained to take on an informal staff welfare role in addition to their usual responsibilities.

They provide an empathetic and confidential environment where colleagues can talk about workplace stress or personal circumstances that are impacting their wellbeing. They champion a workplace culture that values wellbeing and resilience. They provide Psychological First Aid following a security incident or traumatic event. And they are trained to know the limits of their role and when and how to signpost staff to psychological or medical support.

Open Briefing will help your organisation put in place everything it needs to implement an effective and responsible peer support programme. This includes:

• A tailored role description and interview questions to help you select appropriate volunteers.
• A code of conduct and a confidentiality agreement to ensure responsibilities are understood and documented.
• A series of trainings to provide peer supporters with the skills that they will need in their role.
• Ongoing mentoring and supervision to help peer supporters grow in their role.
• Retained counselling provision for colleagues requiring additional support.