Why Peer Support helps veterans
It is central to the ethos of the Veteran to Veteran Peer Support model that we recognise that thousands can return home as different people to those who left. Many feel they no longer ‘belong’ and that the community and services don’t understand the veterans or the military culture. They return as very highly skilled men and women with a variety of skills and experiences that many outside of the emergency services wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience.They can return to communities with high unemployment, with a low wage economy and limited prospects for continuing a similar career outside of the military.
Key elements of Peer Support in mental health is built on shared personal experience and empathy, it focuses on an individual’s strengths not weaknesses, and works towards the individual’s well being and recovery.
The benefits of VIC's veteran to veteran peer support model is that it is delivered by either a veteran who may have experienced some of the difficulties themselves or by somebody who has awareness of the military culture and the difficulties they can experience on leaving the armed services. These difficulties are not necessarily trauma related and can be either adjustment disorders or transitional difficulties.
In many cases a veteran can relate to another veteran in the initial engagement stages more effectively, and through these initial stages it may be possible to break down some of the barriers that veterans can present to other statutory and local service organisations when they are trying to access the range of support services that they may need. The information that can be collected through a good peer support programme can be instrumental in making referrals into the appropriate mental health services at the right time for many who are in need of this support, and can get any other support they need quicker, so that the veteran can start on their recovery process.
Peer Support can be significant in the lives of veterans can and play an important reinforcing role in influencing normative behaviours and attitudes.It can complement and support any mental health services the veteran is undergoing.
Key elements of Peer Support in mental health is built on shared personal experience and empathy, it focuses on an individual’s strengths not weaknesses, and works towards the individual’s well being and recovery.
The benefits of VIC's veteran to veteran peer support model is that it is delivered by either a veteran who may have experienced some of the difficulties themselves or by somebody who has awareness of the military culture and the difficulties they can experience on leaving the armed services. These difficulties are not necessarily trauma related and can be either adjustment disorders or transitional difficulties.
In many cases a veteran can relate to another veteran in the initial engagement stages more effectively, and through these initial stages it may be possible to break down some of the barriers that veterans can present to other statutory and local service organisations when they are trying to access the range of support services that they may need. The information that can be collected through a good peer support programme can be instrumental in making referrals into the appropriate mental health services at the right time for many who are in need of this support, and can get any other support they need quicker, so that the veteran can start on their recovery process.
Peer Support can be significant in the lives of veterans can and play an important reinforcing role in influencing normative behaviours and attitudes.It can complement and support any mental health services the veteran is undergoing.