Ethical Peer Support: Training program for organizations supporting survivors of human trafficking and childhood sexual abuse.

A comprehensive training and implementation program for organizations and individuals working with people who’ve been trafficked, sexually exploited, or experienced childhood sexual abuse and are using (or wanting to use) peer support as part of their service delivery.

Research shows the importance and need to train peer supporters and to provide them with safe and accessible support. Ethical Peer Support training was developed to address this need.

eth·​i·​cal : conforming to accepted standards of conduct.

Why we developed this program

Peer support exists when people provide knowledge, experience, emotional, social, and/or practical help to another (person) undergoing a similar experience. It commonly refers to an initiative consisting of trained supporters, and a system of matching peers to supporters. It is a concept that is growing in popularity and as an organizational priority in many sectors. Evidence is growing to suggest that it is a cost-effective and powerful support mechanism for clients in recovery. 

While this is an ideal tool, Voice Found saw a growing number of peer supporters operating with little to no training, and a critical lack of organizational structure to support its successful implementation and development. 

So, we set out to change that.  

About the program

Survivor-led and designed to be trauma-informed, Ethical Peer Support Training has been rigorously designed and tested to offer a comprehensive, evidence-based training program that is in alignment with the nationally endorsed Peer Support Standard of Practice.  Its intended use is for supporting survivors of sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and child sexual abuse.

This curriculum, offered by cohort and delivered in a hybrid format, includes 10 individual interactive learning modules punctuated by virtual in-person discussion groups led by a mentor, as well as a range of additional resources for individual learners, facilitators, and organizational liaisons. It includes an in-depth look at standards of practice, insights into the challenges, tools, recordings that summarize the core learnings of each module, and a supervised practicum once formal instruction has ended.

Program highlights

  • 9 individual, interactive learning modules combined with 10 virtual discussion groups.

  • A supervised practicum and individualized evaluation following curriculum delivery

  • Tailored support to assist with organizational implementation 

  • Ongoing mentorship community of practice

  • 120 hours of training 

  • Access to continuous professional learning and development 

  • Customized training

  • Ongoing mentorship community of practice

Program Benefits

  1. Our participatory approach empowers learners to experience the material via multiple modalities.

  2. Our vision includes a clearly defined scope, encouraging participants to develop their capacity to support complex situations.

  3. A commitment on the part of Voice Found to sustain investment in training.

  4. We will support the coordination of a cohort-based community of practice.

  5. Participants and supporting organizations benefit from clear guidelines on the effective management of trauma disclosure.

  6. The application process involves a personal readiness assessment and interview, and completes the cycle with a practicum and evaluation process before peer supporters begin or resume engaging with peers. This provides your organization with confidence in the development and management approach to an effective peer support program.

  7. A peer supporter who understands the impacts of trauma, and uses a trauma-informed approach will be less likely to unintentionally re-traumatize a peer and more likely to support healing. Ethical Peer Support Training by Voice Found is based on a survivor-led and trauma-informed framework and built upon the core elements of peer support which include:

  • Training, supervision, and monitoring

  • Social connection and support

  • Creating a safe environment

  • Ongoing engagement of participants

  • Recruitment of peer supporters with specific peer characteristics, and appropriate readiness.

Who should join?

Voice Found is encouraging applications from organizations wishing to send lived experience staff for training and development that can demonstrate the following: 

  • Individuals with lived and living expertise in sexual exploitation, including childhood sexual abuse and human trafficking are able to show an appropriate level of readiness, a commitment to self-care and resiliency strategies, and an interest in supporting peers in recovery.

  • Organizations that are currently running some form of peer support program, but would like to add a robust training program to amplify previous training, experience, and structural supports.  

  • Organizations that have an interest in developing and implementing Ethical Peer Support in support of clients or staff. 

All of the above is included in the $700.00 fee.

For organizations wanting to train multiple people, contact us for pricing. We are happy to work with you.

Application Process:

1) Application form for peer supporter who will take the training

2) List of references for peer supporter

3) Declaration of Support from organization

4) Interview with Ethical Peer Support trainer

(scheduled once completed application submitted)

You will find all forms and links to apply here.

Lived Experience Quote

“While completing the peer support training modules, I not only learned how to effectively and ethically use my lived experience to help others through challenging times, but I also learned the value my lived experience brings to my workplace. I felt like this program taught me so much to ensure I will be a successful peer supporter, and many of the things I learned I will continue to revisit and use when I’m with clients.”

Expectations of Learners

  • A completed application form including organizational declaration of support

  • A successful interview

  • Basic computer literacy

  • Completion of all modules, and a commitment to attend all synchronous sessions

  • Individual access to the internet 

  • Commitment to and adherence to the Peer Supporter Social Code

Expectations of Organizations

At an organizational level, we anticipate that managers will support those that have been selected to participate in the training, and that as required, they will work with Voice Found to ensure smooth implementation of the program if needed.

Required: All that is required from the leadership of the organization is a declaration of intent to support the implementation of Ethical Peer Support. This declaration form can be found on this page.

Testimonial

“As a survivor of human trafficking, who is now in a position to be a support to others, I feel that this HT specific Peer Support Training is absolutely imperative.

While going through this program, I was able to write out my thoughts and feelings about each module and reflect on what I wish I knew back then, what I know now, and what I felt I needed when I was at that low point in my life. I thought about how often I had wished that there had been more folks with that shared lived experience of being trafficked, to walk beside me in my early journey of healing and finding my own voice, to show me that healing WAS possible, that I wasn't alone, that I was believed, and that I was worthy.

In order to assist survivors as a peer supporter, we must understand what it means to have been trafficked. Although our stories may be vastly different from one another, we all share in the passion to be there for others who are where we once were.

This program is in-depth and informative, while also showing just how necessary it is to go into so much detail.

There is ample opportunity throughout the program to journal and write about different topics in the modules, as well as the opportunity to debrief these thoughts as a group and to work through them together.”

  • We recognize that organizations may have peer supporters and/or peer support programs in place and that’s great. Our program may or may not be a fit. We highly recommend you ask the following questions; 1) What training have our peer supporters had? 2) Do we evaluate the readiness of someone to be a peer supporter? 3) Do our peer supporters have mentors? 4) Is our organization well equipped to manage the well-being of peer supporters? 5) Would our peer supporters benefit by belong to a community of others?

  • No. Not all people with lived experience are well suited to be peer supporters. Some may never be a good fit for the role while others will eventually be a good fit. That’s why our application process includes self-evaluation, interviews and references. It is critical that peer supporters be in the appropriate state of readiness before stepping into the role. Important for their well-being and important for the well-being of the person they will support.

  • Adjective - eth·​i·​cal : conforming to accepted standards of conduct.

    We felt it captured the essence of what we wish to achieve and that is that peer support programs in organizations adhere to a standard of practice that is beneficial to the peer and the peer supporter.

  • We will accept 10 - 14 people per cohort.

  • We will post a calendar on this page.

  • There is a lot to this program and we welcome you to contact us at EPS@voicefound.ca and someone will get back to you and schedule a call.

  • You will be provided with a link to the virtual classroom. On the start date of your cohort, you will be able to access the first module. You will have a week to complete it. The next week, you will attend a live virtual classroom with other students in your cohort (class). You will spend the time discussing what you learned and then will be provided access to the next module. This is repeated till the end of the course.

  • It really depends on the person but we say to set aside 2 - 3 hours. There is some homework and journaling.

FAQ’S