Peer support isn’t what you think

If you’re a peer supporting people experiencing harm from alcohol or other drugs, and you’ve ever felt like the only one. This is for you.

We meet every Wednesday from 1pm to 2pm on Zoom. We call it the Sharing Space. It’s one hour a week where people with lived experience of alcohol or other drug harm, now working in peer or consumer roles, come together.

We connect. We check in. We share what’s happening in the sector.

And we need more of you to come.

This is your invitation

If you’re in a peer role—especially if you’re isolated—this space is for you.

But there’s something we need to say to the people who support you.

If you’re a manager, read this

Allow people to put this on their schedule … encourage them.

The Sharing Space happens during the week, and your peer support workers need your support to be there. This hour is not just nice to have. It is essential for their wellbeing.

"These spaces are really important to have. People are burning out. We’re all so busy. But just coming here, checking in, having others to bounce off—it makes a difference."

"You want your peer supports to be mentally and emotionally well. You want them to last. Give them the green light to show up. The space only works if they are allowed to be part of it."

A space for us

The group is for people doing the mahi: peer support workers, consumer liaisons, anyone with lived experience now supporting others through addiction. Especially in small towns, or when you’re the only peer in your team, this is a space where you can come and feel supported.

You don’t have to commit. Just drop in. Bring your lunch. Bring your coffee. Or just listen.

We’ve been running for nearly two years. Most weeks we see six to eight people. When it works, it really works.

"Now that I’ve talked to you guys, I feel like I have the strength to go back, with you all behind me."

The whole peer team from Timaru frequently joins. They fill the screen, ask questions, learn from each other, and connect.

"Meet people that are like you. Don’t feel isolated. If you do, this is the perfect place to come and find out what’s going on around the country."

What happens when we meet?

We usually bring a topic: self-care, peer drift, or updates from across Aotearoa. Sometimes people bring their own. We’ve had kōrero about things like:

• Being the only peer in a clinical team
• Boundaries and burnout
• Harm reduction vs abstinence
• The meaning of recovery
• What to do when a peer worker falls for a client
• Gatekeeping in EDs, where some peers are told to sit and not speak until directed

Guest speakers join us about once a month. Melissa Roberts, a Family Advisor, will be joining us soon to share her perspective.

And sometimes, it’s just a check-in. But the value is always there.

We stand on CHIME

Our space is grounded in CHIME: Connection, Hope, Identity, Meaning, Empowerment.

These values are what we aim to offer each other.

Hope comes from hearing others who’ve been there. Connection comes from seeing you’re not alone. Empowerment grows when we share what works.

"We know ourselves better than anyone. We’ve had to. That’s why we’re not so prone to burning out. We know when we’re having issues, and we know what to do because we have tools."

Why we talk about harm reduction

Harm reduction matters. Some services still operate only from an abstinence lens. But our kōrero welcomes nuance and person-centred thinking.

"It could lead to abstinence, by all means. But it’s about what the person wants. That’s what matters."

I stopped using the drug that didn’t work for me. I still have the occasional drink. I’ve changed what needed to change, and I support others to do the same in their own way.

We also talk about language. Words like "clean" or "alcoholic" carry weight. They stick. They stigmatise. And they don’t reflect who we are now.

This mahi matters

"It’s honouring the role that matters."

Sometimes lived experience roles are brought in because someone said, "We have to have a peer." But the work is more than that. They’re not gophers. They’re not people that just run around doing your loose ends.

Peers are often closer to the client than anyone else. Their experience is a qualification you can’t learn from books.

We want to keep the group going

We think it’s the best idea in the world. But we need more people in the space.

We’re not just doing this for ourselves. We’re paving the way for the next generation of peer workers.

"Some of the greats are starting to dwindle off. We want to keep the train rolling for our roles."

Come join us

We’re here, every Wednesday, 1 to 2pm. One hour. That’s all.

"Grow within your role. Feel strong within your role."

Come and connect with people who get it. This is your space too.

To join the Sharing Space, visit https://mherc.org.nz/talktime/aod