Peer services
Benefit from the positive power of peer support in your recovery
Someone who has had their own experience of mental health issues can often have a unique understanding of others’ mental distress.
‘Peer’ support workers have had specialist training in how to understand and build upon their own experiences of mental health issues to support others on their recovery journey.
Through their combination of life experiences and training, peer support specialists are able to provide a unique type of support.
Their support focuses on hope and recovery which is based around a relationship of trust, equity, understanding and non-judgement.
Peer-led services at Pathways
Our peer-led services develop and grow the power of our ‘peer’ workforce. They are fully staffed and managed by people who have ‘been there’ and now inspire hope and recovery in others.
Based from homelike environments in the community, our peer-led services provide welcoming places where people can take time out when they are struggling with life at home. Often they provide a person-centred alternative to a hospital admission.
Staff offer support during the day and night – whether that’s preparing meals, assisting with wellness and recovery plans, offering a range of activities or providing a listening ear.
Our peer-led services also offer therapeutic programmes as well as a range of environments that prevent further stress and support people to get back on track.
Pioneering peer-led services
Tupu Ake, our peer-led service in South Auckland, was one of the first mental health and wellbeing peer support services of its kind in New Zealand.
Our beautiful 1912 villa in Papatoetoe has always been a place of healing and rest. It was initially a homestead, then a convent, and a rest home, before being renovated for Pathways in 2008, becoming Tupu Ake. The peaceful, park-like garden provides a quiet setting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Following independent evaluations showing the huge benefits of Tupu Ake’s peer-led approach, Pathways now provides a number of peer-led services around the country.