Peer Mentor SMI Community and Outreach - All areas across Somerset

SMI Community and Outreach is a pioneering new service providing person centred 1:1 support to individuals who experience Serious Mental Illness. Working with our Physical Health & Wellbeing Navigators, they work towards goals to help improve their mental and physical wellbeing and reclaim a life they want through empowerment and re-engagement with clinical services and to the community. 

Living with mental health challenges can be isolating and lonely in many ways. Additionally, individuals who experience Serious Mental Illness (SMI) face extra complications to their mental health challenges. Connecting with someone who understands and can empathise because they too have been affected by varying mental health challenges or complications can really help. 

Peer Mentors will link with those who have been supported by our Navigators and would benefit from additional support of a peer in continuing their progress. Your experiences are a powerful tool that can be effective in the support of others who have similar struggles with their mental health.

Becoming a Peer Mentor volunteer may be important to you for various reasons: whether it’s to connect with others, supporting others through using your experience, help with a sense of purpose or gain experience and confidence for employment. Peer Mentoring can be helpful to maintain your own recovery as well as being helpful to those receiving your support.