RCPS Needs Volunteer Peer Support Providers to help support those in our community.
Image source: mentoring.jpg (954×350) (liberty.edu)
Our peer mentorship program is designed to match trained peer support providers with our clients to build a relationship of trust; where you can work one on one towards successful recovery of your mental health.
Clients can get caring one on one support from their peer mentor by working with you on self-care strategies, coping skills and tools, wrap plans, checking in with each other, developing safety plans, getting helpful reminders, and work together towards recovery.
Our Peer Support Providers are peers with lived experience with mental health and life challenges and have completed our comprehensive 12-week training course.
With your peer mentor you can share your experiences, your negatives and your positives
You can work together to brainstorm solutions
Your mentor can work with you to develop coping skills and strategies that are uniquely successful for you
Your mentor can help you plan out your journey for your successful recovery
Your mentor can provide strength based and honest feedback
Your mentor can provide motivation and encouragement
Your mentor can work with you to navigate other mental health services and treatment options
Your mentor can provide helpful reminders about staying on track with your plans and treatments including appointments and taking medications if you are taking any.
The relationship between you and your peer mentor is built on our values of mutual respect, trust, accountability, compassion, and kindness.
If you are interested in our peer mentorship program you can become a client.
Once you are a client our team will communicate with you for intake and then we will work to match you with a peer mentor that is available and is best suited to work with you based on your shared experiences, preferences, and other criteria. This process can take some time depending on the availability of our peer mentors. If we aren't able to match you with a peer mentor within two weeks you may be placed on the waiting list, and you will be matched as soon as possible.
You and your peer mentor will discuss the most appropriate ways in which to communicate and work together and this includes understanding each other's limitations and boundaries, what is and isn't acceptable, and your program goals and needs.
You and your peer mentor may talk on the phone every day or at a schedule you both determine, chat, text, video call, meet in person, if possible, have lunch, coffee, or tea etc. The relationship you have is designed to provide you with the support you need that is appropriate and within our capacity and guidelines.
We currently have limited Peer Mentors offering services to clients and are open to offering services to a limited number of clients on a first come first served basis. You can receive Peer Mentorship services by applying to become a client by clicking the button below and filling out the form. If you are not placed with a Peer Mentor right away you will be placed on our waiting list, and we will contact you when availability becomes open. In addition to becoming a client of RCPS you will need to agree to our Peer Mentorship agreement.
The relationship between you as a client and your peer mentor will be professional but casual. However, if the boundaries of this relationship dynamic are broken your participation in the program may be reconsidered.
Peer Mentors and their clients will not engage in the following activities together: borrowing money from each other, consume alcohol or drugs together, engage in sexual activity with each other, engage in criminal activity together, or otherwise engage in any behavior that is inappropriate.
Clients should not give gifts to their Peer Mentors exceeding $10.00 and in no way be expected to give their Peer Mentors gifts. This includes paying for meals and other activities that you and your Peer Mentor may engage in.
While participating in the program your Peer Mentor may give you guidance, coaching, and advice on how to cope, handle difficult situations, maintain your mental health, and offer skills and tools to help you in your successful recovery. However, you are not obligated to follow any advice or guidance, or otherwise utilise any tools or skills offered to you, especially if they are not suitable or appropriate for you,
The length of your participation will be evaluated periodically, and your Peer Mentor will check in with our leadership staff to update us on your progress within the program. Generally, your participation can continue as long as it is both appropriate for your mental health recovery and as long as we have availability and capacity. If your Peer Mentor is unable to continue their role with you, you will be notified as soon as possible, and we will work to match you with the next available Peer Mentor.
As a client of RCPS and our Peer Mentorship program we hope and expect you to act with our values of mutual respect, accountability, compassion and kindness. This means respecting one another by not crossing boundaries, limitations, and expectations you both agree to. An example of this is by calling your peer mentor outside of hours they designate for contact.
While we understand that the peer mentor you match with might not be suitable or a good fit for you, we can initially re-match you with another peer mentor (limited to the same availability expectations). However, after your first re-match and you decide that your new peer mentor is not a good fit, we may reconsider your participation in the program.
We know that politics and religion are important to many people, and they have very significant meaning and impact within our lives. However, because these views and beliefs can be radically different from one person to another, we encourage you to not discuss these topics during your participation in the program. However, as these topics are still often discussed, please remain respectful of each other's beliefs and ideas and hold space to understand each other.
If you have an issue with your Peer Mentor, we first encourage you to openly communicate your issue with them and see if you both are able to work it out and find a way to resolve any problems that you may be having. However, if that does not work, or if you are unable to resolve it with them, then you can contact the Director of Riverside County Peer Support.
Your participation in the program is absolutely voluntary and your choice. If for whatever reason you no longer want to participate or you can no longer participate in the program, please simply communicate that with your peer mentor or one of our staff. We appreciate the time we had working with you and providing support and care. We wish you success in life and in your mental health recovery.