Peer Support

Peer support is one of the fundamentals of a Center for Independent Living. Who better knows the issues of individuals with disabilities face than another person with a disability who has been there and done that? Peer supporters provide role modeling and share experiences, feelings, and awareness of disability issues.

Through peer support there is a full exchange of brainstorming, problem solving, and sharing of concerns, successes, and ways to address issues. The peer support relationship allows for the more experienced person to provide information and support and serve as a positive role model to the person whose disability might be new or more recent. Peer support can help make a big difference in an individual’s sense of self-awareness and self-acceptance.

Peer Support Training and Certification

In 2004 (and regularly updated since then) disABILITY LINK collaborated with recognized leaders in the disability community to develop training materials for the Peer Support Project. The course is designed to give peer supporters the skills needed to support and encourage other people with disabilities to create their own advocacy and life strategies to bring around desired goals. The training provides a forum in which to share experience and insight; and demonstrates the techniques that make peer support optimally effective. The program has successfully trained and certified thousands of peer supporters across the state of Georgia and nationwide.

What is a Peer Supporter?

A Peer Supporter is a person with a disability who has learned life strategies, how to be a self-advocate and how to live independently; and uses experiences and knowledge to support other people with disabilities – peer support is the basis of Independent Living.

Peer Support Training and Certification Cost and Information

If you’re interested in developing and practicing your peer support skills, or to obtain more information, please contact Linda Pogue at GreenPogue@disabilitylink.org

Click here to download our Peer Support training info. Word Doc

Click here to download our Peer Support training info. PDF

Thank you for your interest in our Peer Support Training and Certification. We provide this training as part of a fee for service program. We have proprietary/trade secret rights to protect this information under the Georgia Trade Secrets Act of 1990, O.C.G.A. §§ 10-1-760 et seq. and as such is not available for distribution or disclosure to outside entities for “train the trainer programs” for use of our instructor’s guides.

Other Peer-led group offerings 

The RESPECT Institute

This training empowers individuals to “Tell their Story” in a way that provides inspiration to themselves and others.