We Have Won Various Awards For Our Work

We have had an external, & independent, evaluation of the ‘Community Peer Mentors’, which highlighted the amazing results we can achieve when working hand in hand with the referring agency and the clients, by using volunteers to reduce demand and make people’s lives better.

Our Recent Awards

We offer a non-time specific support which is unique and bespoke for every client; as we believe every person’s experience, story, fears and feelings are different, and therefore one size does not fit all. All we ask is that a person has the will, want and capacity to change, they must set goals; however small, they must ‘bring something to the party’; we are not there to just do everything for them.

This approach is unique in the UK for tackling these issues.

PCC ‘proud’ as volunteers receive prestigious invites to King’s Coronation events

Four outstanding volunteers who have supported vulnerable people to get their lives back on track have been invited to Royal celebration events to mark King Charles III’s Coronation.

Trish Manners and Hayley Gibson, who volunteer for Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen’s Community Peer Mentor Service, will be among hundreds of volunteers to attend Buckingham Palace’s grounds on May 9 for the King and The Queen Consort’s first official Garden Party.

The invitation recognises the scheme’s success in achieving The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service last year for its support to vulnerable or isolated people including victims and perpetrators of crime. The award was presented on 8 September 2022, tragically the same day as Queen Elizabeth II passed away.

Click the button below to read the full article

Click To Download

Case Study

Below is a recent case study that will provide you with some of the great work our staff and volunteers have done.

A 29-year-old Male originally from outside the County now living in Durham, referred to The Community Peer Mentors by the Community Mental Health Team.

He was a member of The Armed Forces and unfortunately was medically discharged, having been diagnosed with Complex PTSD and has experienced childhood trauma, suffers with social anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties.

He was referred for support for social orientation, friendship building, anxiety management and adding routine and structure to his day with community activities, as he had raised concerns, he was self-medicating with alcohol. He enjoys sport and fitness, so we introduced him to a local boxing club to support with his social isolation and build confidence, there was an issue in relation to travelling to the venue so the area coordinator picked him up on the first two occasions, then to assist in his recovery we paid for his bus fare, this made him very emotional that people would assist him at weekends, he now attends on a regular basis of up to five times per week and has excelled to where he has shown an interest to box at a competitive level and opportunities to assist with coaching in the future.

With collaborative work with veteran charities and the boxing club we have found a referral pathway for access to grants for cost of living to enable him to continue accessing his local community and enable him to build new friendships and to work towards possible future employment.

He was provided with referrals to other organisations to ensure he was in receipt of the correct benefits and to support with any financial needs.After a relatively short amount of time he was able to access local transport independently, engage well with mental health services, as well as continuing to engage with the Peer Mentors.

He said, “I would have not been able to attend any community setting without peer mentor support, being introduced to the boxing has really built my confidence and I am meeting new people. I am very grateful for all the support I have received”.