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Purposeful peer support is peer support with a purpose – developing authentic mutual relationships that support people in their journey towards wellbeing.
Peer support is person-centred and underpinned by strength-based philosophies. The life experience of the peer-worker creates common ground from which the trust relationship with the person is formed.
Empowerment, empathy, hope and choice along with mutuality are the main drivers in purposeful peer support work.
There is a great deal of strength gained from knowing someone who has walked where you are walking and now has a life of their choosing. In this way it is different from other support work, it comes from a profoundly different philosophical base.
Purposeful Peer Support Aotearoa Framework
Purposeful Peer Support Aotearoa (PPSA) is a framework for co-creating a purposeful journey toward wellbeing.
Each person’s journey will be unique and self-determined, facilitated within a collaborative peer relationship and guided by PPSA principles.
To develop the peer relationship, we will practice the relational skills that enable and sustain connection and learning – co-creating the meaningful and enduring relationship that will help us to move through the different stages or ‘seasons’ of our wellbeing journey.
We begin our journey in “winter”, responding with warmth, and planning together for what might be possible.
Then we identify our strengths and personal resources, cultivating and growing these to sustain us through the tougher times.
With the harvest gathered in, we take time to pause and reflect, ready to start the cycle afresh and plan for new growth.
Wellbeing Framework
The five interconnected pillars of our wellbeing framework are derived from three well known models – the WHO ’quality of life’ framework, Seligman’s ‘wellbeing’ construct and the Myers/ Sweeney model of ‘wellness’.
Our framework also aligns with two well-known Māori models of health – ‘Te Whare Tapa Whā’ and ‘Te Wheke’, both of which affirm our holistic focus on the spiritual, social, mental/emotional, occupational, and situational (physical) aspects of wellbeing.
And our approach to enhancing our wellbeing is also consistent with the focus of the NZ Mental Health Foundation’s ‘five ways to wellbeing’ – connect, give, take notice, keep learning and beactive…me whakawhanaunga, me, tukua, me aro tonu, me ako tonu, me kori tonu.