Mistakes I have made: And things they taught me while working as a peer

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and progression of offering peer support using personal reflections on mistakes. The paper draws on the core principles of peer support which have the potential to be better understood through self-reflection and honest appraisal. Design/methodology/approach: A reflective and personal approach is used throughout to examine and analyse particular mistakes relating to developing peer support relationships. Findings: Reflections are offered about how working approaches can be developed as a positive consequence of difficult personal interactions. Originality/value: These reflections contribute to the small number of papers written by peer workers within the UK. Its focus on mistakes and challenges as a means of learning more about peer support is highly unique.