Types of peer support
| Peer support type | Pros | Cons | Essential components |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-to-one facilitated support including peer coaching, peer leadership | Facilitates shared learning, knowledge, and experience. Addresses confidence to manage health and wellbeing by building greater self-efficacy | Requires input of training and ongoing support for peer coaches | Coaching expertise, training, education |
| Technology enabled peer support, including synchronous support (telephone peer support, web chatrooms) and asynchronous (eg, virtual support groups, online communities) | Reduces barriers to access, reduces time commitments around travel to physical location. Support is often in real time and always available/accessible | Engagement can be inconsistent. Requires appropriate technology (eg, smartphone, computer) and IT literacy. Often requires high levels of engagement/time commitment by particular group members, eg, moderators | Trained or untrained facilitators or moderators. Easy-to-use interface |
| Peer led group self-management education | Clearly defined outcomes, high level of quality assurance for many programmes, can be generic, allowing people with different or multiple conditions to benefit | Requires high standards and time commitment to train facilitators | Delivered by trained facilitators with lived experience using evidence-based materials |
| Group consultations/clinics | Allows people to hear questions asked/answered that they may not feel able to ask, creates a shared purpose, enables health beliefs to be addressed | Requires high level of training and facilitation skills, and awareness of boundaries. Also, high level of administration to deliver | People with lived experience to feel their needs are central and their voices heard in managing their health |