The Campus Peer Support Project, initiated in 2021, was a 3-year initiative by CMHA National that provided specialized peer support training and certification across five Canadian campuses in collaboration with local CMHA offices. The project led to the development of a values-based training curriculum designed for implementation on campuses across Canada using a train-the-trainer model. Among post-secondary schools involved in this national project was the University of British Columbia.
According to CMHA National “Peer support is emotional and practical support between two people who share a common experience, such as a mental health challenge or illness. A Peer Supporter has lived through that similar experience and is trained to support others.”
Peer support can take various forms in different settings. However, it fundamentally involves support among individuals who share similar experiences, such as those related to mental health or substance use. For campuses looking to train peer supporters, please visit CMHA National’s Campus Peer Support page which provides free training materials and curriculum for those starting new programs or seeking additional resources for existing ones.
If you have any questions on the background of the project or the materials provided, please contact Katherine Warzecha, National Project Portfolio Manager, at [email protected].
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Healthy Minds | Healthy Campuses is managed and coordinated on behalf of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information by CMHA BC
Core funding for the initiative is provided by BC Mental Health and Substance
Use Services with additional support from the BC Ministry of Health
