Download toolkit
  • Introduction To The Peer Support Toolkit
    (6 pages)
  • What Is Peer Support?
  • What Is The Value Of Peer Support?
  • How To Use The Toolkit
  • March of Dimes Canada Can Help
  • A Step-By-Step Roadmap
  • Before Starting A Peer Support Group
    (9 pages)
  • 1. Check For Existing Groups
  • 2. Find Peers To Help You
  • Planning Group Recruitment Flyer Template
  • 3. Find An Organizational Partner
  • How Can An Organizational Partner Help?
  • 4. Confirm The Need For A New Group
  • Distributing Your Survey
  • Community Survey Template
  • Build Your Peer Support Group
    (24 pages)
  • 5. Design Your Group
  • Who Can Join This Group?
  • What Type Of Support Will Members Receive?
  • Will Your Group Meet In-Person, Online, Or Both?
  • Where Will The Group Meet?
  • When Will Your Group Meet?
  • How Many Members Will The Group Have?
  • Who Will Provide Support And Guide Discussions?
  • Will There Be A Cost To Participating?
  • Group Design Worksheet Template
  • Some Things To Keep In Mind
  • 6. Gather Resources
  • Meetings Resources
  • Finding Potential Community Partners
  • Raising Funds To Support Costs
  • 7. Recruit Group Members
  • Member Recruitment Flyer Template
  • 8. Find People To Manage The Group
  • What Are The Tasks Involved?
  • Who Can Hold These Roles?
  • Having A Facilitator Guide Discussions
  • Finding Volunteers
  • Task List Template
  • Run Peer Support Meetings
    (21 pages)
  • 9. Orient New Group Members
  • Storing Participant Information Safely
  • Member Information Template
  • Orientation Booklet Template
  • 10. Prepare For Meetings
  • Meeting Checklist Template
  • Meeting Agenda Template
  • Meeting Notes And Attendance Template
  • Incident Report Template
  • 11. Conduct Your Meetings
  • Opening Your Meeting
  • Introducing Members
  • Icebreakers And Values Review
  • Check-Ins And Discussions
  • Suggested Discussion Topics
  • Guest Speakers
  • Closing Your Meeting
  • Keeping Members Well
  • After Meeting Activities
  • Celebrate Special Days 
  • Evaluate And Grow Your Group
    (11 pages)
  • 12. Evaluate Your Group
  • Process Evaluation Worksheet Template
  • Member Feedback Survey Template
  • Using Feedback To Redesign Your Group
  • 13. Sustain And Grow Your Group
  • Sustainability Checklist Template
  • Addressing Challenges
  • Sustainability Planning Worksheet Template
  • If Challenges Cannot Be Resolved
  • Grow Your Group
  • Facilitator’s Guide
    (19 pages)
  • What Is The Role Of A Facilitator?
  • What Skills Should A Facilitator Have?
  • How To Prepare To Be A Facilitator? 
  • Understanding What Happens After A Stroke
  • What Is Peer Support?
  • What Is Reflective Learning?
  • How Can I Improve Attendance?
  • How Do I Keep Discussions On Topic? 
  • How Do I Manage Arguments, Conflicts And Disruptive Members?
  • How Do I Manage Discussions About Sensitive Topics? 
  • What Should I Do If I’m Worried About A Member’s Wellness?
  • How Can I Get Participants To Trust Me?
  • How Can I Support Members With Communication Difficulties?
  • Learning More About Aphasia
  • How Can I Improve Engagement?
  • How Can I Prepare For Virtual Meetings?
  • How Can I Help Members Build Connections Online?
  • Other Helpful Resources 
  • Download Toolkit
    (1 page)

Introduction To The Peer Support Toolkit


This video explains what you will learn about in the ‘Introduction’ section of the toolkit. You can view the content by clicking through the pages on this website, or download the PDF to read later. This section of the peer support toolkit is 6 pages long.

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