Troubleshooting

Where Can I Get Help With Peer Support Promotion Challenges?

It is essential to identify major challenges and barriers in your community, population, or organization when promoting peer support program.  As problems arise, you will need to analyze the situation and come up with a solution to keep your promotion efforts and the program moving forward. 

The following resources discuss common challenges and solutions to promoting peer support:

• The major challenges to promoting peer support and ways to address them are discussed in the article by Fisher et al (2009) “Cross-cultural and international adaptation of peer support for diabetes management”.
• The article by Mead & MacNeil “Peer Support: A Systematic Approach” provides an overview of barriers to change in regards to organizations adopting peer support programs (discussed on page 3).
• A resource paper “After the Crisis: Peer Support Issue Brief” provides potential solutions and recommendations for the expansion and broader integration of peer support initiatives in disaster preparedness planning and response.
• A report of the National Technical Assistance Center for State Mental Health Planning (NTAC) called “Emerging New Practices in Organized Peer Support 2003” offers new thinking about financing and provides insights on various ways to secure funds to support peer support programs in the US-based settings on page 26 of the document.

Please visit the Discussion Board to talk with others about challenges to promoting peer support for diabetes management.