Children - Adolescents 7 - 18 Years.

Peer Helper Program for Out of the Mainstream Youth.

Introduction

As part of Canada's Drug Strategy, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada have been talking with young people and service providers across the country to find ways to meet the needs of out-of-the-mainstream youth. Many contacts requested information about the use of peer helper programs — What kinds of programs are being used? How effective are they? What helps make a program work?

This Information Sheet is a result of visits to programs in five communities, as well as interviews and focus group discussions with out-of-the-mainstream youth and service providers who work with these young people. It describes peer helper programs, looks at factors which improve their chances of being effective, and suggests additional sources of information.

This Information Sheet is of interest to anyone concerned about services for out-of-the-mainstream youth. It is not a step-by-step guide to setting up a Peer Helper Program, but contains information that agencies should consider if they decide to implement such a program.

What is a Peer Helper Program?

In general, a Peer Helper Program is one in which young people provide services to other young people. Effective Peer Helper Programs do not exist in isolation. They need to be an integral part of a youth service agency or organization.

Peer Helper Programs grow out of the ways in which young people help and advise one another every day. The services offered can include personal support like informal advice; referrals that will help in finding places to live and other services; mediation; tutoring; employment skills; life skills; and information about health and personal safety.

Peer helpers are supervised and supported by professionals. Peer helpers are not meant to replace professional help but should be a bridge between out-of-the-mainstream youth and the professional services they may need.

Who are out-of-the-mainstream youth?

"Out-of-the mainstream" youth include young people who participate to varying degrees in a street lifestyle which can include:

• regular or heavy use of alcohol and other drugs
  
• other high risk health behaviours
  
• participating in illegal activities
  
• involvement in violence, either as a victim or a perpetrator.

Why don't out-of-the-mainstream youth use the regular services for young people?

Reaching this group of young people can be very difficult. They are distrustful of official agencies and resent any hint that they are being told what to do. Often, they don't know where to go for help and may have to meet with several service providers in different locations. This can result in uneven support and a lack of continuity in services. In addition, very few of the usual kinds of services are offered at times and in places that fit in with the daily life of out-of-the-mainstream youth.

In some cases, the youth service system itself is a barrier. The rules, regulations and procedures of an agency can trap youth in the "system." Lack of long-term services and support networks can also make it difficult for out-of-the-mainstream youth to get out of the system once they are in it.

Are all Peer Helper Programs alike?

Peer Helper Programs are different depending on the needs of the youth who are served, the kinds of services offered, and the kind of agency offering the service.

There are three basic kinds of programs in which peer helpers are used effectively:

• Programs to help young people living on the street. These programs try to make contact with young people on the street. They are usually street-based and have close contact with the local street scene. These programs are aimed at helping young people survive on the street. They offer food, clothing, shelter and support. This can take the form of personal assistance, information, referrals, and materials aimed at making life on the street safer - such as clean needles or condoms.
• Programs to help young people get off the street. These programs offer support to young people trying to make a break from the street lifestyle. They provide services like literacy training, educational upgrading, job training, long-term living arrangements and life skills to help participants move back into mainstream society.
• Programs to help prevent young people from going to the street. Many of the young people who spend time on the street are still in school. Although they are lonely, resentful and may be unsuccessful within the school, school-based Peer Helper Programs can offer a way to reach them. This kind of program can include young people who have lived on the street telling their stories to those still in school, as well as other students in the school interacting with at-risk peers to help break through their feelings of isolation and help them to feel more a part of their school.

What makes a Peer Helper Program work?

Many factors combine to make a Peer Helper Program effective and trusted by its participants. These include:

Acceptance and respect for the young people they serve. Young people often reject services offered by traditional agencies because they feel that they are being judged by the people trying to help them. This reaction is one of the reasons that Peer Helper Programs have developed. It is critical that both volunteers and staff members accept and are prepared to work with out-of-the-mainstream youth on the youth's own terms.

Confidentiality. Building a reputation for confidentiality is essential if the program is to gain the trust of these young people.

A positive focus. Although most Peer Helper Programs are developed in response to a need or problem, programs that work highlight the strengths of both the peer helpers and the program clients.

A clear understanding about the kinds of services the program will offer. No one program can be all things to all people. An effective Peer Helper Program is designed to meet a specific goal for a specific group.

Relevant services. Effective Peer Helper Programs are designed to meet the social and cultural needs of out-of-the-mainstream youth. These programs recognize that the lives of these young people are difficult and complicated. They try to provide a service that is both dependable and easy to find and use.

Flexibility. The agency sponsoring a Peer Helper Program must be flexible enough to meet the changing needs of out-of-the-mainstream youth and to develop new ways to deliver services. At the same time, the agency must be able to offer leadership and support for the program.

A balance between professional and peer services. Peer Helpers can make an effective and valuable contribution. They can support professional services, but cannot replace them. It is not appropriate to expect peer helpers to provide services — like therapy, in-depth counselling or assessment — that are beyond their experience and ability.

Carefully selected peer helpers. Effective peer helpers should offer something that the service users find valuable. Peer helpers should be selected because they:

• Can communicate effectively.
• Accept and support young people who choose to return to the mainstream.
• Can put aside their own needs when working as peer helpers.
• Have backgrounds and experiences similar to that of the out-of-the-mainstream youth they will be working with. This does not mean that all peer helpers must live, or have lived, on the street. It does mean that they should have some familiarity with, and empathy for, those who do. In school-based programs aimed at preventing students from becoming more involved in a street lifestyle, effective peer helpers would be those who can enable at-risk students to feel more a part of the school.

Peer Helpers can also benefit from these programs. In a well-supervised program, peer helpers can develop interpersonal skills, self-esteem, an appreciation of others, and a sense of responsibility.

On-going training and support for peer helpers. Sponsoring agencies must recognize that education for peer helpers is not a one-time effort. Peer helpers will need both initial and on-going training, support and supervision. They also need to have a good relationship with agency staff they know and trust.

A long-term plan. Many good efforts are lost when the enthusiasm and the resources that start up a program run out. It does little to help anyone if a program soon folds because it lacks the energy or financial support to continue. The agency needs to accept that on-going planning, commitment and funding are needed if a Peer Helper Program is to survive and do well. This can include follow-up initiatives and programs as they are needed. It can also involve a willingness to work with other agencies and continuing efforts to raise public awareness and support for the Peer Helper Program.

Conclusion

There is a real need for programs for out-of-the-mainstream youth. No one expects young people who are at low risk to move smoothly from adolescence to adulthood without consistent, on-going support. How can we expect out-of the-mainstream youth, who face even greater challenges, to do so?

Peer Helper Programs don't have all the answers, but they can offer an effective way to meet the challenge of providing services for this hard-to-reach group.

Resources

These references offer more information about out-of-the-mainstream youth and Peer Helper Programs.

Brannigan, A. and T. Caputo (1993). Studying Runaways and Street Youth in Canada: Conceptual and Research Design Issues. User Report Responding to Violence and Abuse. Published under the authority of the Solicitor General of Canada. No. 1993-05.

Caputo, T., R. Weiler and K. Kelly (1994). Phase II of the Runaways and Street Youth Project: The Saskatoon Case Study. User Report Responding to Violence and Abuse. Published under the authority of the Solicitor General of Canada. No. 1994-12.

Caputo, T., C. Ryan and D. Proulx (1991). Children and Youth at Risk: A Working Bibliography. User Report Responding to Violence and Abuse. Published under the authority of the Solicitor General of Canada. No. 1991-09.

Carr, R. (1992). Peer Counselling: An Indexed and Annotated Bibliography. A comprehensive annotated bibliography dealing with much of the relevant information on peer helping. Victoria: Peer Counselling Project, University of Victoria.

Health and Welfare Canada (1993). A Study of "Out-of-the-Mainstream" Youth in Halifax, Nova Scotia: Technical Report. (Cat. No. H39-269/1993E).

Health Canada (1995). Peer Helper Initiatives for Out-of-the-Mainstream Youth: A Report and Compendium.