PSV Resource Hub

Peer support involves building relationships between individuals with shared experiences. The intent of these relationships is to provide social and emotional benefits through genuine connection and empathy. Such relationships are particularly important for individuals experiencing stress, trauma, or uncertainty.

The resources below offer additional information on core characteristics of successful peer support relationships and how peer support differs from other types of support, such as professional medical or mental health care:

• Read: Peer Support Summary • Watch: How Peer Support Differs from Professional Mental Health Care

When our team identifies a potential match, you will receive an email asking about your availability. Please respond to that email to let us know if you're able to move forward with the connection.

Once you confirm your availability, CLF will introduce you to the Peer Support Partner by email to begin your connection.

If a Partner does not respond to a Volunteer intro email after two weeks, please notify CLF and we'll message the Partner to check in. If they still aren't responding or have not scheduled a first meeting after CLF checks in, we will work with the Volunteer to assess whether a path forward is possible.

Please note it can take several months for our team to identify a potential match. Feel free to send our team a message if you feel you've been waiting a long time for a connection.

Once you are connected with a Partner, you will take the lead on reaching out to schedule times to connect by phone, video call, text message, or email.

Please note in person meet-ups between Peer Support Partners are not allowed in the CLF Peer Support Connection program.

Over the course of your 12-month connection period, please take the lead on messaging your Partner along the following cadence:

• Month 1-3: Message every 2 weeks
• Month 4-6: Message once a month
• Month 7-12: Let Partners know they can message you every once in a while with questions or updates (typically once every 2-3 months)

If your Partner has stopped responding and doesn't respond after two attempts to connect, let us know. We'll check in with the Partner to see if additional steps are needed.

Connections are meant to last up to 12 months, with the first 6 months focused on active engagement with Partners.

We’ll message you and your Partner near the end of a connection period to check in.

You can choose whether or not to keep lines of communication open with your Partner based on your availability or needs.

In addition to 1-on-1 matches through CLF’s Peer Support Connection Program, CLF also offers Zoom support groups and Facebook forms. Feel free to share these resources with your Partners:

• CLF Virtual Support Groups
• PCS Resources Facebook Group
• CTE Resources Facebook Group
• CLF Canada Patient Groups
• CLFC Post-Concussion Peer Support Facebook Group

We offer monthly meetings via Zoom so Peer Support Volunteers can connect with each other, ask questions, and share experiences.

Please look for email invitations from [email protected] to register for a meeting.

When you start a new connection, or at any point during a connection period, please talk with your Partner about your preference to connect over phone, text, video call, or email.

Please note in person meet-ups between Peer Support Volunteers and Partners are not allowed in Peer Support Connection program.

If you feel you ever need to set boundaries with a Partner, please know the CLF team is here to support you. The Peer Support Volunteer Agreement and the Peer Support Partner Agreement outline guidelines which help support setting boundaries such as frequency of contact or methods of contact.

Yes! Good eye.

CLF’s 1-on-1 connections fall under the Peer Support Connection Program. Volunteers (you) are referred to as Peer Support Volunteers (PSV) or simply Volunteers. Patient and caregiver participants in the program are referred to as Peer Support Partners, or simply Partners.

Before October 2023, it was referred to as the CLF Mentorship Program and patient and caregiver participants were referred to as Mentees. The name was changed to more accurately represent the purpose and benefits of 1-on-1 connections.