1. Peer Support Accelerates in Canada's Next Olympic Venue
2. Bully Prevention Requires Action Not Lectures
3. Attend a Peer Conference or Training Event
4. Research and Resources to Strengthen Peer Practice
5. Peer Coaching Reduces Stress and Builds Workplace Wellness
6. Join the Peer Resources Network
7. Funding Opportunities in the Peer World
8. Subscribing, Unsubscribing, Distribution and Copyright

PEER SUPPORT ACCELERATES IN CANADA'S NEXT OLYMPIC VENUE
By Greg McDonnell

For six years, Whistler Community Services Society, located in Whistler, British Columbia (the venue for many events of the 2010 Winter Olympics) has offered training to 12 volunteer young adults in their Peer Educator Program. This program offers 30 hours of training to volunteers after which time they are available as peer support workers to area young adults. The program runs from November to April - the busy time of the winter season which sees a migration of some 5,000 young adults to our small community for both work and play.

Whistler's young adults are subject to any number of challenges from drug and alcohol issues, homesickness, poverty and a lack of nutrition. The majority of them live in dorm-style accommodation similar to a university. Trained Peer Educator's offer their peers several programs, including: money management, nutrition, and healthy sexuality workshops and their flagship program called, "The Trivial Pursuit of Sex and Drugs." A great play on words! This brings together 100 or so young adults to a free dinner and game show modeled after the board game. Each team of ten fields questions posed by our local public health nurse and drug and alcohol counselor and their answers result in tons of prizes, laughs and entertainment. A key to the success of this program is connecting young people to information using fun, entertainment, relevance, and interaction. Peer Educators also provide a listening ear to those in need and act as an extension to the services provided by the Youth Outreach Worker.

Recently, Whistler For Youth (an area non-profit offering programs to serve both youth and young adults) sent Whistler Blackcomb's House Advisor Manager, Lisa Trombley, to receive the Level I Peer Training from Peer Resources. Whistler Community Services Society is excited to be partnering up with Whistler Blackcomb to deliver these two programs! A third non-profit, The Zero Ceiling Society of Canada, provided an opportunity for new board member, Carter Hack, to also participate in Peer Resources' Level I Peer Trainer Certification program. Carter's job is to provide support to the graduates of their program called The Snowboard Instructor Training Program. Zero Ceiling is dedicated to changing the lives of street-affected and disadvantaged youth and young adults by offering them the chance to move to Whistler to become snowboard instructors.

Clearly, Whistler has taken to heart Grey Owl's dictum, "Nothing about us without us" in its efforts to provide quality training and support for its young adults. Although there is tremendous community support, all this success is not without its challenges. There are some challenges facing these programs. For example, volunteer distractions. Often a typical young adult in Whistler has two jobs, wants to ski or snowboard, meet new people and in this case, volunteer. This problem is resolved by creating strong buy-in during the training. This is accomplished by 1) feeding volunteers at each training, 2) offering incentives such as free hair cuts and passes to the gym, 3) offering a dynamic and interesting training schedule, and 4) facilitating a well networked, bonded group that meets regularly during the season. We are anticipating some growing pains as the two peer support systems come together this year to offer programming to the same group of young adults. However, it is hoped that the strength in numbers theory will help up deliver the best possible support to Whistler's young adult population.

About the author: Greg McDonnell is a one of the most experienced and most respected peer trainers in Canada. His work as the Youth Outreach Worker for Whistler Community Services has led to some of the most innovative and resourceful peer-led programs in North America. Greg can be contacted at youthoutreach@mywcss.org.

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"It's never to late to be what you might have been."

~ George Eliot ~
(Who is this?)

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BULLY PREVENTION REQUIRES ACTION NOT LECTURES

While the school yard is often considered the most remembered place for bullying, a recent symposium in Australia estimated that workplace bullying cost Australian employers close to $36 billion a year. Similar costs have been reported for both the U.K. and the U.S.

One theory about workplace bullying is that workplace bullies learned their tactics during their years in elementary school. Critics of school strategies to curb or prevent bullying in schools believe that too much emphasis is placed on lectures, codes or rules about violence and too few opportunities are provided for students to learn specific, concrete anti-bullying actions or participate in supervised, experiential activities designed to shape anti-bullying attitudes and behaviors.

Peer-led anti-bullying programs have increased in both North America and Great Britain, and action-oriented materials or curriculum are now readily available. One unique approach is demonstrated in a videotape listed on the Peer Resources Top Books and Videos for Peer Assistance that shows young people how to physically defend themselves from the aggression of bullies. But the most frequently recommended curriculum is one in which the materials are of superior quality, include details on how to use them effectively, rely on research findings, and engage young people in proven experiential learning techniques.

One of the best of the anti-bullying resources is Training Wheel's Bully Prevention Kit. Their Kit includes over 70 interactive activities designed to maximize the impact of anti-violence learning and help young people change their own potential for bullying and learn how to effectively respond to others who engage in bullying.

Here is an example of just one of the activities included in their Kit. We've selected this example and reprinted it here (with Training Wheel's permission) because it also illustrates the importance and quality of debriefing they include with each activity.

Crossing the Line
Props/Materials Needed: Two ropes or masking tape, and a room large enough for an entire group.

Set the Stage:
1. Put two ropes (or tape lines) in the center of the room on the ground, so they are parallel, about 3-4 feet apart, and also span the length of the room.
2. Line up participants on one side of one of the lines so everyone is on the same side of the room, facing the line.
3. Tell the participants that they are going to do an activity that requires three things; respect, sensitivity, and quiet. Go over these three things with the participants. Also tell the participants that this activity is about them; not their friends, or people standing next to them, but about them.
4. Once the "rules" of the activity have been discussed, tell the participants that when they are able to be quiet, respectful and sensitive, they can cross the line. Once they have crossed over the line then there should be no talking and the activity will start.

Introduce to the Activity:
"We are going to do an activity that has to do with people's feelings. Sometimes when someone hurts another person he is just being mean or maybe she is being careless-or maybe they feel pressure from their friends to join in when other people are teasing someone. Other times, people are mean to someone just because of who they are-just because of the color of their skin, or their ethnicity. We are going to do this activity in complete silence. You might have some strong feelings during this activity-sadness, anger. So we need to be very respectful and caring to one another. No laughing, talking or even whispering, so we can all feel safe."

"I am going to call out a group and if you belong to that group or identify with that group, please cross the line and turn around to face the other participants on the other side of the line. (Give an example at this point, such as: 'If you are a boy, please cross the line. If you are in grade five, please cross the line')."

Tell the participants that if they don't feel comfortable crossing that they do not have to. Also remind them that this activity is done in silence and is also an individual activity. They are not to judge other people and they can make the decision to cross the line by themselves.

After each of the 'cross the line' categories, pause until the participants who have crossed the line have turned to face the other participants. Say out loud, "Notice how it feels to cross the line; look who is with you, look who is not with you and cross back over."

Crosswalk Prompts:

* Cross the line if you've ever been teased or called a bad name or made fun of.
* Cross the line if you've ever been picked last in games or sports or left out of an activity all together.
* Cross the line if you've ever been called a mean name or put down just because you're a girl.
* Cross the line if you've ever been judged or teased because of the color of your skin.
* Cross the line if you've ever been teased because of your religious background.
* Cross the line if you've ever been teased about your accent or your voice, or told that you couldn't sing.
* Cross the line if you or anyone in your family or a friend has a disability that you cannot see.
* Cross the line if you're a boy and you've ever been told you shouldn't cry, show your emotions or be afraid.
* Cross the line if you've ever felt alone, unwelcome or afraid.
* Cross the line if you have intentionally hurt someone's feelings.
* Cross the line if you've ever felt pressure from your friends or an adult to do something you didn't want to do and felt sorry for it afterwards.
* Cross the line if you've ever stood by and watched while someone was hurt and said or did nothing because you were too afraid.
* Cross the line if people routinely mispronounce your name.
* Cross the line if you have ever been teased because of the part of the world or country you or your family comes from.
* Cross the line if you have ever been the only person of your race/ethnicity in a classroom.
(You can adjust the crosswalk prompts to reflect the age and experience of the participants.)

Debriefing Questions:

* What are some feelings that came up for you during this activity?
* Why was it so important to be quiet, respectful and sensitive?
* What was the hardest part for you?
* What did you learn about yourself? About others?
* What did you want to remember about what we've just experienced?
* How does it make you feel when you are getting teased for something that you cannot help?
* Why do you think other people tease?
* Talk about the cycle of teasing, name calling, etc.,
* How can you put an end to this cycle?
* Why is it important to be allies to each other?

Facilitator Note:
The goal of this activity is to help break down the barriers between children that perpetuate acts of unkindness. Children become aware that others face many of the same insecurities, fears and challenges that they do. They learn that showing your feelings doesn't make you a weak person, rather it takes courage. They learn that other children can be appreciative and supportive when they reveal those feelings. Be careful not to be judgmental or shaming in this activity. Be supportive and accepting. Everyone in the program will probably have a reason to cross the line. Many children will need your support in realizing that they might be modeling behaviors that they have seen or passing along treatment they have received. With help and guidance children can change such hurtful behaviors.

(This activity, "Crossing the Line," has been reproduced here with the permission of Training Wheels, the creators of The Bully Prevention Kit and is included in the Kit along with 70 other high-quality prop-based activities. The Kit is the result of over 500 hours of research on bully prevention and also includes three books: The Bullying Field Guide, Raccoon Circles, and A Teachable Moment. All of the activities come in high quality mesh stuff sacks that are labeled with a laminated tag that helps keep the bag organized for multiple facilitators. The Kit itself comes in two giant rolling duffel bags made by Kelty that are top of the line for wear and tear. For more information, to order the Kit, or sign-up for their complimentary newsletter, go to http://store.training-wheels.com/buprkit.html or call: 1-888-553-0147.)

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"The person who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."

~ Grey Owl ~
(Who is this?)

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ATTEND A PEER CONFERENCE OR RELATED EVENT

Growing Peer Support Conference
November 25, 2005
Toronto, Ontario
www.selfhelp.on.ca
(416) 487-4355 or (888) 283-8806
shrc@selfhelp.on.ca

Peer Coaching in the Workplace
December 2, 2005
Victoria, British Columbia
http://www.peer.ca/trng.html
(800) 567-3700
info@peer.ca

Peer Helping/Peer Counseling/Peer Education Workshop
December 7-8, 2005
San Francisco, California
(415) 282-5298 or (888) 238-6048
www.peerresourcetraining.com
peersira@aol.com

Peer Helping/Peer Counseling/Peer Education Workshop
January 18-19, 2006
Las Vegas, Nevada
(415) 282-5298 or (888) 238-6048
www.peerresourcetraining.com
peersira@aol.com

5th Annual National Peer Support Conference
January 27-29, 2006
University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia
macdonas@unbc.ca
(250) 960-5962

California Association of Peer Programs 2006 Adult Institute
February 4, 2006
Valley Presbyterian Church, Portola Valley, California
www.cappeer.org
(626) 564-0099 or (760) 749-4712
info@cappeer.org

Pomona Peer Resources Middle School Conference
February 16, 2006
Pomona First Baptist Church, Pomona, California
http://w86.pusd.org/peer/2005registration.html
(909) 397-5060 x 3723

Pomona Peer Resources High School Conference
February 23, 2006
Pomona First Baptist Church, Pomona, California
http://w86.pusd.org/peer/2005registration.html
(909) 397-5060 x 3723

Peer Helping/Peer Counseling/Peer Education Workshop
March 23-24, 2006
Los Angeles, California
(415) 282-5298 or (888) 238-6048
www.peerresourcetraining.com
peersira@aol.com

Advanced Peer Training for Peer Program Leaders
July 8-9, 2006
Victoria, British Columbia
(800) 567-3700 or (250) 595-3503
www.peer.ca/trng.html
info@peer.ca

Comprehensive Peer Program Leadership for Aboriginal Communities
July 10-14, 2006
Victoria, British Columbia
(800) 567-3700 or (250) 595-3503
www.peer.ca/trng.html
info@peer.ca

For additional peer conferences, training workshops or events as well as to learn about what you missed, go to http://www.peer.ca/peerevents.html.

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"We cannot control the tragedies that befall us, but we can control how we respond to them."

~ Grey Owl ~
(Who is this?)

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RESEARCH and RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN PEER PRACTICE

Peer Resources continually scans the professional and popular published literature to find articles of interest to people involved in peer assistance. In some cases the complete article is available; however, only Peer Resources Network members have access to the full article. Three of several hundred recent additions to the searchable, annotated bibliography at http://www.peer.ca/SearchB.html are:

Anonymous. (September, 2005). PM members helping members: A new ICMA peer assistance service. Pubic Management, 87, 8, 32.

A description of the elements of providing peer assistance within community-based public safety organizations.

Beale, A.V. and Hall, K.R. (2005). Solutions-focused role play: Its use in training peer helpers. Peer Facilitator Quarterly, 19, 4, 143-147.

Solution-focused activities can assist peer trainers to add real life discussions to their training programs. Role plays that use solution-focused techniques are more likely to assist peer helpers to apply what they learn in training to their real world interactions. In addition, talking about real life scenarios and researching possible solutions increases the interest, motivation, knowledge and skill levels of students in training.

Cowie, H. and Hutson, N. (June, 2005). Peer support: A strategy to help bystanders challenge school bullying. Pastoral Care, 23, 2, 40-44.

The authors discuss the nature of peer support and some of the ways in which it has evolved over time, particularly in the United Kingdom. Under the umbrella of peer support they include activities such as befriending, peer counselling, conflict resolution or mediation and intervening in bullying situations. They describe research studies on peer support and discuss their relevance to bystander behaviour. Third, they draw some conclusions that relate to the wider context of the developing role of peer support in schools today, including the benefits to peer supporters, the key processes of flexible monitoring and clear observation of the needs of the potential users. (The full-text article is available to Peer Resources Network members.)

Marsh, H., & Kleitman, S. (2005). Consequences of employment during high school: Character building, subversion of academic goals, or a threshold? American Educational Research Journal, 42, 2, 331-369.

Students in the U.S. are three times more likely to be employed than their European or Asian peers. Does employment for U.S. high school students result in decreased time spent on school activities and, thus, lower academic achievement? Or does work experience build character, strengthen organizational skills, and give students a sense of responsibility that may actually increase achievement? Some researchers have proposed a "threshold" model, which posits that students will experience positive outcomes from work experience, as long as the time spent working does not exceed certain threshold values. This study of students in grades 8-12 revealed that students who work are more likely to achieve at lower levels academically, are more likely to engage in negative behaviors, have lower academic and career aspirations, and are less likely to hold leadership positions, engage in extracurricular activities, and attend or stay in college. These negative effects are persistent across gender groups, racial groups, differing socioeconomic status levels, and academic abilities.

Mills, J.E. (July 13, 2005). Peer-to-peer program teaches business skills to Wisconsin small-business owners. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, Washington, 1.

The president of a bio-tech company is one of several Wisconsin executives who are learning business skills through a networking program called PeerSpectives. Created by the Small Business Development Center at the University of Wisconsin in 2004, PeerSpectives is a peer-to-peer education program that brings together executives from emerging small businesses to share their experiences and help each other with professional as well as personal challenges. PeerSpectives was funded by a grant from the Edward Lowe Foundation, a Michigan not-for-profit service organization that encourages peer-to-peer networking among entrepreneurs.

Peer Resources. (2005). Peer helping information for parents and professionals. (BROCHURE) Victoria, BC: Peer Systems Consulting Group.

A print brochure that includes (1) a description of national peer program standards; (2) the boundaries associated with peer work (what is and isn't peer helping); (3) examples of roles peers can play; (4) contact resources for information about peer work; and (5) a blank space where local peer leaders can enter their own contact information. (Brochures are available in bulk to members of the Peer Resources Network. Single copies are available to non-members by contacting Peer Resources at 1.250.595.3503 or by email: rcarr@peer.ca or by Skype at reycarr)

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"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."

~ Charles Dickens ~
(Who is this?)

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PEER COACHING REDUCES STRESS AND BUILDS WORKPLACE WELLNESS

According to a recent Ipsos-Reid poll, two-thirds of 114 Canadian CEOs reported that "stress, burnout or other physical and mental health issues" were having a negative impact on workplace productivity. The situation has achieved such proportions that CEOs are worried about their ability to pay future disability claims, says Amy Goldberg, the CEO of Grandcare Corporation in Toronto. In addition, a study recently completed by the U.S. National Institute of Health revealed that while mental illness affects one-quarter of Americans, 60% of those affected do not seek treatment. And more strikingly, of those 40% that do seek treatment, the study showed, only one-third received even "minimally adequate" care.

Some employers think that providing an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an adequate response to this escalating crisis. But research by Peer Resources Network member George Grant of ACCESS Consultants revealed that EAP users typically have waited 10 years before approaching an EAP. According to Rey Carr, one of the co-creators along with George Grant of North America's first major peer-led EAP systematic referral service, such a long waiting period means that employees are typically experiencing ten years of lowered productivity. Also, such a long waiting period means that employees have likely talked extensively to friends at work about their problem or issue. This possible lack of resolution results in friends and co-workers having to hear about this situation over and over again, thus driving them away from their co-worker or keeping their office doors shut to prevent the person from yet again talking about the problem.

Peter Frost and Sandra Robinson in their book, The Toxic Handler: Organizational Hero - and Casualty identified a group of managers who voluntarily take on the sadness, frustration, bitterness or anger of others as a way to prevent such stress from impacting productivity. And while such absorption can temporarily save an organization from self-destruction it comes at a great cost to the manager and it hardly every actually resolves the situation facing the employee; it only masks the pain and underlying cause.

Instead, what is needed is more of a wellness focus where peer coaches integrated into the social and cultural fabric of the organization are able to offer just-in-time coaching to assist their peers to express concerns and take immediate goal-based action before a situation becomes a problem that interferes with an employee's own productivity and that of his or her colleagues, supervisors and managers. Ten years is just too long and too costly for any organization to allow preventable problems to go unresolved.

By creating a culture of coaching through the engagement of peers throughout the workplace, an EAP service can be assured of only having to deal with the kinds of health issues best left to professionals. An EAP service can easily recruit employees to become part of a cadre of peer coaches by posting two simple questions to all employees: "Are you tired of hearing colleagues complaining about a situation that never seems to end? Are you frustrated with the help you've been providing to a friend only to hear that the problem continues to come back? Then why not contact your EAP provider to find out about a few simple skills you can use to assist your colleague and are guaranteed to put an end to rehashing the same dilemma and finding authentic ways to help people take care of themselves."

For more information about connecting an EAP service to peer coaching, contact George Grant, CEAP at ACCESS Consultants, #402 - 1124 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, British Columbia V7M 2H1; Tel: (604) 985-7337. To register for a Peer Coaching in the Workplace seminar, go to http://www.peer.ca/trng.html.

References:
Abboud, L. (June 7, 2005). Mental illness said to affect one-quarter of Americans. Wall Street Journal, Health, D1.

Frost, P., & Robinson, S. (2002). The toxic handler: Organizational hero - and casualty. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (Pdf version).

Galt, V. (June 9, 2005). Productivity buckling under the strain of stress, CEOs say. Globe and Mail, B1.

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"Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats."

~ Howard Aiken ~
(Who is this?)

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JOIN THE PEER RESOURCES NETWORK

Do you know someone who could benefit from becoming a member of the Peer Resources Network? Although you are receiving this free newsletter every 45-60 days, members of the Peer Resources Network receive a monthly newsletter, the Peer Bulletin, with additional information, practical tips, announcements, peer program descriptions, funding opportunities and job openings in the peer assistance field and additional research summaries every month.

Do the quotes placed in this newsletter intrigue you? Would you like to know more about the people quoted or read more of what they have to say? Members of the Peer Resources Network receive links and more details regarding each quote when they receive the monthly Peer Bulletin.

In addition Peer Resources Network members receive toll-free coaching and consultation for all peer program development issues as an additional benefit of membership. Members also receive Compass: A Magazine for Peer Assistance, Mentorship and Coaching. This magazine has become the only advertising-free, professional, peer-reviewed publication on mentoring, and is filled with timely articles and practical suggestions from experienced peer program leaders.

The Peer Resources Network is a non-profit organization and is sustained through memberships. The low fee for a one-year individual membership is $75.00 and the fee for an institutional membership, which allows up to five people to share a full membership, is $140.00 for a year. We even have a student rate of $32.10/year. For more details on the benefits as well as a secure online form to sign-up, go to http://www.mentors.ca/PRN.html.

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"I won't belong to any organization that would have me as a member."

~ Groucho Marx ~
(Who is this?)

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FUNDING FOR PEER ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES

(1) Graduate Assistance Fellowship applications are available to U.S. graduate students with excellent academic records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest degree available in their course of study. At the present time the priority for use of these fellowships is for study in nursing programs that focus on the preparation of nurse scholars at the PhD level for educational leadership roles. Graduates of this type of program will become the teachers preparing students for careers in nursing, and will disseminate to the public new knowledge gained from disciplined inquiry related to nursing and nursing education, including peer assistance techniques. Ninety-six awards, averaging, $211,000 each will be available to qualified graduate students. The deadline for applications is November 14, 2005. Additional information is available online at: http://tinyurl.com/8je8p

(2) Enhancing Practice Improvement in Community-Based Care for Prevention and Treatment of Drug Abuse or Co-occurring Drug Abuse and Mental Disorders is funding that could provide support for creation of peer-led projects to enhance the capacity of community based providers of prevention services to conduct practice improvement research. U.S. non-profits, for profit organizations, small businesses, public and state controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are all eligible for awards of up to $150,000. Applications are due December 19, 2005. More information is available at: http://tinyurl.com/bwv4c

(3) AmeriCorps State and National Grant Program is now available for 2006 to initiate, improve, or expand the ability of organizations and communities to provide services to address local unmet environmental, educational, public safety (including disaster preparedness and response), or other human needs. AmeriCorps awards member positions and program operating funds to public and private nonprofit organizations with goals which are in accord with this mission. Grants support organizations that use volunteer service as a strategy for addressing national and community needs, while fostering an ethic of civic responsibility and connecting Americans of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to serve their communities and country. More than one million dollars is being made available. The deadline for most applications is February 14, 2006. Instructions, regulations and other relevant details are available online.

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The Peer News has been provided by Peer Resources. All items in this publication are copyrighted by Peer Resources. Subscriptions are free and can be obtained by sending an email to info@peer.ca. To become a member of the Peer Resources Network and receive a similar monthly publication as well as a print magazine on peer assistance, mentorship and coaching, visit http://www.peer.ca/PRN.html or call 1.800.567.3700 in North America or 1.250.595.3503 outside of North America. To be removed from this mailing list send an email to info@peer.ca. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to a colleague.