The Office of the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and local mental health provider, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust are working together to develop new peer roles that will support people who have been affected by alcohol or substance misuse and who might also have severe mental illness and complex emotional needs.
TEWV, who provide learning disability and mental health services across County Durham, has invested in an 18-month pilot scheme with the DPCC to fund a full-time substance and alcohol misuse peer mentor coordinator. The coordinator will support and manage 20 substance misuse peer mentors across County Durham and Darlington.
Peer mentors provide opportunities to share personal experiences, feelings, and coping strategies from a first-hand perspective. They support individuals to access recovery focused services and promote greater continuity of care, helping empower people in their day-to-day lives and aid recovery.
Sometimes if someone has been affected by a life-changing event and turned to alcohol or substance misuse they can feel like their lives are spiralling out of control and they may not have anyone to turn to. As a result, they may come into contact with a range of emergency and urgent care services at times of crisis. We know, that by providing dedicated support to people we can help them to turn their lives around, supporting them to navigate between services, linking them with education and employment opportunities and lending a listening ear. This can not only make a tremendous difference to someone’s life but can also reduce the demand on frontline services.
Jim Cunningham, Community Peer Mentor Manager
In 2015, the then Police, Crime and Victim’s Commissioner, Ron Hogg CBE, created a Community Peer Mentor Scheme. The mentors are motivated and enthusiastic volunteers from the local community who support vulnerable, isolated people, offering unique support and helping people to feel safer and more confident.
Funding continues under Joy Allen’s leadership as the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner and the scheme has grown exponentially.
It is great to hear the positive impact the Community Peer Mentors have within the local community and how it has led to a demand reduction on frontline services.
Joy Allen, Durham Police and Crime Commissioner
The new alcohol and substance misuse peer mentor coordinator will recruit and train the alcohol and substance misuse peer mentors and provide guidance and support where necessary. The role is a welcome addition to the scheme and will help to support many more people across the region to access help and support.
The position has been funded by TEWV as part of their local Community Mental Health Transformation Programme. The programme is part of the NHS Long Term Plan and sees NHS Mental Health Trusts working closely with partner agencies, people with experience of mental health illness, their families and carers and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, to transform the way people with severe mental illnesses are cared for and supported in their local community.
With the number of people requiring mental health support increasing, there is a need for agencies to work more closely and creatively to meet the needs of their communities. By doing so we can offer alternatives to standard mental health services and work together to improve people’s overall health and wellbeing. This in turn can support people’s mental wellbeing, aid their path to recovery and reduce demand on front-line services.
Rachel Smith Consultant Applied Psychologist for TEWV
During the pandemic there has been an increase in people using alcohol and substances as a coping mechanism. People with severe mental illnesses and complex emotional needs, who use alcohol and other substances have historically struggled to access services. Having someone who truly understands how you feel and who can spend time talking with you and helping you with day-to-day things can make a huge difference to a person’s life.
Rachel Smith Consultant Applied Psychologist for TEWV
Peer mentor schemes are proven to be effective in supporting people and the positive impact the Community Peer Mentor Scheme in Durham has already had is testament to this. We are really pleased to be able to contribute to the programme’s development with these new roles.
Rachel Smith Consultant Applied Psychologist for TEWV
I’m really honoured to be part of this scheme. It’s a real positive step to be able to work with the NHS and it means that even more people can be supported across the Durham area.
Louise Crook, the newly funded Area Peer Mentor Coordinator for the Durham PCC Community Peer Mentor Scheme
You can find out more about the Community Peer Mentor Scheme and the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme at https://www.durham-pcc.gov.uk/victims-services/community-peer-mentor-project. You can also watch our short video about the substance misuse investment below
