Peer Support and
Peer-Run Services
Peer support is a form of support and assistance provided by individuals who have lived experience of a particular condition or challenge to others facing similar circumstances. It involves individuals coming together to share their experiences, provide understanding and empathy, and offer practical guidance and encouragement. Peer support is a vital component of the lived experience movement, and it has made significant contributions to mental health advocacy and support in various countries.
Peer Support and Peer-Run Programs involve individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges or substance use disorders, providing support, guidance, and understanding to others who are going through similar experiences. These programs emphasise the power of shared experiences and the importance of peer connections in fostering recovery and well-being. Peer Support and Peer-Run Programs can take various forms, including support groups, peer mentoring, peer counselling, and peer-led workshops or activities.
Peer support has been a driving force in the lived experience movement worldwide, promoting empathy, empowerment, and self-determination for individuals with mental health challenges. It has transformed mental health advocacy, service delivery, and public perception by amplifying the voices of those with lived experience and fostering a sense of collective strength and resilience.
The Alliance for Rights and Recovery is a New York–based, peer-led organisation that advocates for the rights, dignity, and empowerment of people with lived experience of mental health challenges, substance use, and trauma. It works at a systems level—focusing on policy reform, human rights, and social justice—while also supporting peer-led services and community-based alternatives to traditional mental health care.
The Alternatives to Suicide is a peer-led support model and network (originating with the Wildflower Alliance) that creates non-clinical spaces where people can openly talk about suicidal thoughts without fear of judgment, intervention, or coercion. Unlike traditional crisis models, it focuses on connection, mutual understanding, and shared lived experience, allowing participants to explore their feelings safely while being supported by peers rather than clinicians.
AMS Peer Support Centre
The AMS Peer Support Centre is a student-run, peer-led service at the University of British Columbia in Canada that provides free, confidential, non-judgmental emotional support for students. Trained student volunteers offer one-on-one peer support sessions, creating a safe space to talk through stress, mental health challenges, relationships, or academic pressures, while also connecting students to additional campus and community resources if needed.
The Artsy Peer is a peer-led initiative that uses creative expression—such as art, writing, and storytelling—as a medium for mental health support, connection, and recovery. It brings people together through shared creative practices, allowing individuals with lived experience to explore emotions, build community, and support one another in a non-clinical, expressive environment.
The Auckland Central West and North Peer Support Service is a New Zealand–based, peer-led service that provides community mental health support for people with lived experience, offering one-on-one and group-based peer support across the Auckland Central, West, and North regions. It focuses on recovery, empowerment, and connection, with peer support workers using their own lived experience to support others in navigating mental health challenges and building meaningful lives in the community.
The Balance Whanganui is a New Zealand–based, peer-led organisation that provides advocacy and support for people with lived experience of mental health and addiction. It focuses on protecting rights, promoting self-determination, and supporting individuals to navigate services, while also amplifying the collective voice of lived experience in the Whanganui region.
The CAN-VOICE Consumer Survivor Community Support Services is a Canada-based, peer-run organisation that provides community support, advocacy, and recovery-oriented services for individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges. It focuses on empowerment, social inclusion, and mutual support, offering peer-led programs, education, and advocacy to strengthen the voice and participation of consumer/survivors within the community.
The Centre for Innovation in Peer Support (CIPS) is a United Kingdom–based, peer-led organisation that works to develop, strengthen, and scale peer support across mental health systems. It focuses on training, research, and system innovation—supporting organisations to embed peer roles, improve practice, and ensure peer support remains values-driven and led by lived experience.
The Centre of Excellence in Peer Support is an Australia-based, peer-led initiative within Mind Australia that works to advance and strengthen peer support across the mental health sector. It focuses on building the peer workforce through training, research, and leadership development, while promoting best practice and ensuring that lived experience remains central to service design and delivery.
The Community of Peer Support Specialists is a Georgia-based, peer-led organisation that supports and connects certified peer support specialists, providing training, supervision, and professional development for individuals with lived experience working in mental health and recovery services. It focuses on strengthening the peer workforce, promoting recovery-oriented practice, and creating a community of support for peer specialists delivering services across the state.
The eFriend is an Australian, peer-led online support service that provides free, non-clinical emotional support for young people through digital platforms such as chat and messaging. It focuses on creating a safe, anonymous space where young people can connect with trained peers, talk through challenges, and feel heard and supported without judgment.
The Fresh Hope for Mental Health is a United States–based, peer-led organisation that offers faith-based peer support groups for individuals living with mental health challenges, as well as for their families and supporters. It combines lived experience with spiritual principles, providing a community-focused approach to recovery that emphasises hope, connection, and personal growth through peer-led group support.
The HopeWorx is a Pennsylvania-based, peer-run organisation that provides recovery-oriented services for individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges and substance use. It offers peer support, recovery coaching, and community-based programs focused on empowerment, wellness, and helping people build meaningful, self-directed lives in recovery.
The Junction Peer Support Te Whare Hunga is a New Zealand–based, peer-led service that provides community mental health support for people with lived experience, offering one-on-one and group-based peer support in a safe, inclusive environment. It focuses on connection, recovery, and empowerment, with peer support workers using their own lived experience to walk alongside others as they navigate mental health challenges and build meaningful lives
The Lambton Mental Wellness Centre (LMWC) is a Canada-based, peer-run organisation that provides recovery-oriented mental health support for individuals with lived experience. It offers peer support groups, one-on-one support, and community-based programs that focus on empowerment, social inclusion, and helping people build meaningful, self-directed lives in recovery.
The Life Connections Peer Support is a peer-led organisation that provides community-based support for individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges, offering a safe, non-clinical space for connection, mutual support, and recovery. It focuses on empowerment, social inclusion, and wellbeing through peer support groups, one-on-one support, and community activities that help people build meaningful and connected lives.
The Mental Health Advocacy and Peer Support (MHAPS) is a New Zealand–based, peer-led organisation that provides advocacy and support for people with lived experience of mental health and addiction. It offers one-on-one peer support, group programs, and advocacy services, focusing on empowerment, rights, and helping people navigate the mental health system while building meaningful, self-directed lives.
The Mental Health America Center for Peer Support is a United States–based initiative of Mental Health America that works to advance and strengthen peer support nationwide. It focuses on workforce development, leadership, and best practice—providing training, resources, and guidance to support peer specialists, promote lived experience leadership, and expand peer support across mental health systems.
The MIX (formerly The Mix) is a United Kingdom–based, youth-focused organisation that provides free, confidential support for young people under 25 through online peer communities, one-to-one messaging, and group chats. It combines peer support and digital engagement, creating a safe space where young people can talk about mental health, relationships, identity, and life challenges, while accessing information and support from both peers and trained staff.
The Monadnock Peer Support is a New Hampshire–based, peer-run organisation that provides community-based mental health support for individuals with lived experience. It offers peer support groups, one-on-one support, and recovery-oriented programs, focusing on empowerment, connection, and helping people build meaningful, self-directed lives in their communities.
The National Peer Helpers Association (NPHA) is a United States–based organisation that promotes peer helping as a structured approach to support, education, and personal development across schools, communities, and organisations. It focuses on training, certification, and program development—equipping individuals to provide effective peer support while fostering leadership, connection, and positive community outcomes.
The National Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS) is a United States–based, peer-led organisation that works to advance the peer support workforce and promote lived experience leadership across mental health systems. It focuses on national standards, training, certification, and advocacy—supporting peer specialists, strengthening best practice, and ensuring peer support remains values-driven and recovery-oriented.
The Northern Initiative for Social Action (NISA) is an Ireland-based, peer-led organisation that supports individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges through advocacy, community development, and social inclusion initiatives. It focuses on empowerment and collective action, providing peer support, education, and opportunities for people to engage in community life, build skills, and influence systems that affect their wellbeing.
The Peer Support Space is a New Zealand–based, peer-led initiative that provides a safe, community-focused environment where people with lived experience can connect, share, and support one another. It centres on mutual support and belonging, offering spaces (often group-based or drop-in style) where individuals can talk openly, build relationships, and navigate mental health challenges outside of clinical settings.
The Recovery Options Made Easy (ROME) is a New York–based, peer-led organisation that provides recovery-oriented support for individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges and substance use. It offers peer support services, education, advocacy, and community programs, focusing on empowerment, wellness, and helping people build meaningful, self-directed lives in recovery.
The Recovery West is an Ireland-based, peer-led organisation that supports individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges and addiction through community-based programs and recovery initiatives. It focuses on empowerment, social inclusion, and personal development, offering peer support, education, and opportunities for people to build skills, confidence, and meaningful connections within their communities.
The Resilience Collective (RC) is a United Kingdom–based, peer-led organisation that supports individuals with lived experience through community-focused peer support, education, and wellbeing initiatives. It focuses on building resilience, connection, and empowerment, offering peer-led groups, workshops, and collaborative spaces that help people navigate mental health challenges and strengthen personal and collective wellbeing.
The Scottish Recovery Network is a Scotland-based organisation that promotes recovery-focused approaches to mental health through lived experience leadership, research, and national initiatives. It works to embed recovery principles across services and communities—supporting peer support, sharing lived experience stories, and driving system-wide change to create more inclusive, person-centred mental health systems.
The Self Help and Peer Support Services CMHA Waterloo Wellington is a Canada-based, peer-led program within the Canadian Mental Health Association (Waterloo Wellington) that provides recovery-oriented support for individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges. It offers peer support groups, one-on-one support, and community-based programs, focusing on empowerment, connection, and helping people build meaningful, self-directed lives in recovery.
The Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness is a Georgia-based, peer-run organisation that provides recovery-oriented support for individuals with lived experience of mental health and substance use challenges. It offers peer support services, wellness programs, and community-based activities, focusing on empowerment, connection, and helping people build meaningful, self-directed lives in recovery.
The Toughlove New Zealand is a New Zealand–based, peer-led organisation that supports families and caregivers dealing with challenging behaviours, addiction, and mental health issues within their loved ones. It provides peer support groups, education, and practical strategies, helping families build resilience, set boundaries, and support recovery while maintaining their own wellbeing.
The Transitional Services for New York (TSI NY) is a New York–based organisation that provides community-based mental health services with a strong emphasis on peer support and recovery-oriented care. It offers a range of programs including peer support, housing, employment support, and community services, helping individuals with lived experience build independence, stability, and meaningful lives in the community.
The Lived Experience Hub has mapped 32 peer support organisations across Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and beyond. While this provides a valuable snapshot, it represents only a fraction of the peer-led services operating globally. The true scale of peer support remains largely unmapped, distributed across thousands of localised, community-driven initiatives. As peer support continues to expand internationally, the challenge shifts from discovery to coordination. Unlike warmlines, peer-run services are highly diverse in structure, delivery, and focus. However, beneath this diversity lies a shared foundation—lived experience, mutuality, relational support, and recovery-oriented practice.
To enable globalisation, this foundation must be translated into a standardised yet flexible model. Standardisation does not mean uniformity; rather, it means defining the core components, principles, and operational structures that allow peer support to be replicated while remaining locally adaptive. By establishing a common framework—covering governance, workforce roles, service delivery models, and outcome measurement—peer support can transition from a collection of local initiatives into a scalable global system. In doing so, peer support becomes not just a movement, but a replicable infrastructure capable of delivering relational mental health support at planetary scale.
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