Publish date: 22 October 2025
Peer support workers (PSWs) are mental health professionals who have had their own experience of mental health challenges, and their interventions are based on sharing their experiences to help others. The peer support service is a non-clinical space where people build a mutual relationship to work and walk alongside onto the recovery journey.
Recognising the invaluable contributions of PSWs across mental health services, Global Peer Support Day is observed annually on the third Thursday of October. To mark the day, PSWs from the Trust came together on Thursday 16 October for a reflective and celebratory gathering at a coffee shop. The meet up was an opportunity to share recent achievements, acknowledge progress made with service users, and connect over the shared purpose of peer support.
This year’s theme, “small actions for others,” inspired a creative group activity. Using colourful sticky notes, a large A3 sheet, and a box, each participant wrote down a small action they could take to support someone else. Notes were then placed in the box, drawn at random, read aloud, and reflected upon, highlighting the impact that even the simplest gestures can have.
Miriam Emanuela Presta, Peer Support Worker from Hammersmith & Fulham North MINT (Mental Health Integrated Network Teams), shared: “The activity led to a conversation about how even the smallest gestures can make a meaningful difference, not just for others, but for us as well. We also talked about how the work we do with the people we support is not just a one-way intervention, but a mutual approach.”
This meet up was a reminder of the strength found in shared experiences and the ripple effect of kindness and support in mental health recovery.
Marie McCormack, Senior Peer Support Worker in H&F North MINT said: “Attending the event, I felt a strong sense of connection, togetherness and gratitude for being able to work as a Peer Support Worker, alongside the rest of the Peer Support workforce.”
The peer support interventions are made of non-judgmental and confidential one-to-one sessions. These sessions are designed to be non-directive, recognising that each client is the expert of their own experiences and challenges with a tailored intervention to reflect their needs and goals. Peer support intervention can cover different areas and needs, often focusing on CHIME: Connections, Hope, Identity, Meaningful, Empowerment.