1. Johane Verville – Program manager Doug Brown – Outreach Coordinator and Peer Support Coordinator NATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS (NPSP)

2. Presentation Origin of our Programs Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) Helping Others by Providing Empathy (HOPE) Questions

3. Origin of our Programs 2001 (OSISS) : Meeting between Stephane Grenier and an friend Need to support each other in a confidential way Who was the first peer ?

4. Origin of our Programs We can’t tell because … It is confidential

5. Origin of our Programs 2006 (HOPE) : Young widows and two fathers of fallen soldiers met to attend focus group. Assess the need for a bereavement group to support families of fallen CAF members

6. Who are we ? Government of Canada Partnership between National defence and Veterans Affairs Who do we serve : –Still serving CAF Members and family members –Veterans and their families –Family of the bereaved still serving and veterans –We offers support in both official languages and serve people across Canada

7. Program Manager Atlantic Region 13 FTE Québec Region 14 FTE Central (East) Region 12 FTE Central (West) Region 12 FTE Western Region 14 FTE HOPE Manager National Coordinator Outreach Coordinator VAC Partnership manager Program Coordinator Mental Health expert Admin Support NATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM (NPSP)

8. OSISS Locations 33 Sites, 63 Coordinators 12.200 Peers served OSISS Locations 33 Sites, 63 Coordinators 12.200 Peers served Central West London Hamilton Toronto Trenton Borden Meaford Winnipeg Shilo Central West London Hamilton Toronto Trenton Borden Meaford Winnipeg Shilo WESTERN Edmonton Calgary Saskatoon Moose Jaw Penticton Victoria Comox WESTERN Edmonton Calgary Saskatoon Moose Jaw Penticton Victoria Comox Central East Kingston Ottawa Petawawa Trenton London North Bay Central East Kingston Ottawa Petawawa Trenton London North Bay Quebec Montreal St Jean Trois- Rivières Quebec Valcartier Bagotville Gatineau- NCR Quebec Montreal St Jean Trois- Rivières Quebec Valcartier Bagotville Gatineau- NCR ATLANTIC St John’s Gander Halifax Charlottetown Greenwood Gagetown ATLANTIC St John’s Gander Halifax Charlottetown Greenwood Gagetown Whitehorse Volunteer H.O.P.E Locations 52 Volunteers, over 900 Peers served H.O.P.E Locations 52 Volunteers, over 900 Peers served NATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM (NPSP)

9. Mission To establish, develop and improve social support programs for members, veterans and their families affected by operational stress; and provide education and training in the CAF community to create an understanding and acceptance of operational stress injuries. The OSISS Project received Department of National Defence (DND) Armed Forces Council endorsement on October 23, 2001

10. Vision To be an exemplary model of standardized peer support to Canadian Armed Forces personnel, Veterans and their Families.

11. Persistent psychological difficulty resulting from operational duties performed by a military member  includes diagnosed medical conditions such as anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as a range of less severe conditions. It is not a psychiatric or medical term. It describes a broad range of problems including diagnosed medical conditions as well as other less severe conditions. Operational Stress Injury (OSI)

12. Fatigue Grief Trauma Operational Stress Injury Moral Injury Moral Injury A loss injury due to loss of people who are cared about A wear-and-tear injury due to the accumulation of stress over time An impact injury due to events provoking terror, helplessness, horror, shock A loss injury due to disruption in trust in moral values Adapted from Capt (N) Bill Nash USMC and USN Combat and operational stress control

13. National Defence –Joint Personal Support Unit –Health Services –Chain of Command –Soldier On –Military Family Resources Center Veterans Affairs –Mental health expertise –VAC offices Community services –Health services –Addiction services –Etc. Our Network

14. What makes a peer…a peer? Those who have experienced an OSI (no diagnosis necessary) Such as: Canadian Armed Forces Member Veterans OSISS Injured Support

15. Have you lived with or supported someone with OSI? Spouse (married, common-law, etc.) Adult children Parents and/or grandparents Siblings Friends (no diagnosis necessary) OSISS Family Support

16. Outreach Referral / Advocacy One on One Group Volunteer “When you are on a long or difficult ride, good company can make all the difference in the world” Program Model and Peer Path

17. Confidentiality

18. Encourage hope & motivation for change Foster supportive peer relationships Provide new frame of reference Model competency in ‘Recovery’ by maintaining ongoing wellness Promote a Wellness Model How we can work together for the best interests of our Peers????

19. Keep peers motivated to attend meetings and appointments Encourage their compliance with the Doctor’s prescriptions Encourage participation in “Soldier-On” events and other fitness programs (within MELs)

21. H. Helping O. Our P. Peers by providing E. Empathy H.O.P.E.

22. Grief can be a very lonely and isolating experience Widows and Family Members who have lost loved ones have indicated they require support from peers who understand, who have been through a similar experience, and who have made it through to the other side. They need HOPE! Why?

23. Our volunteers understand the grief journey as they have been through a similar experience. Their role is to support the family with compassion and help them normalize their pain by providing Hope. Their role

24. Over 900 peers served 52 trained volunteers Support needs vary based on individual differences Initial contact is normally established within 2 weeks of the members death Peer support normally remains engaged between 6 to 24 months Peer support in grieving

25. OSISS and HOPE

26.  Overall management, day-to-day operations  Managing day-to-day HR functions, assignment of work, workload management, etc.  Overseeing the peer management of case files  Resolving issues & complaints relating to program delivery DNDVAC  Program evaluation  Policies, standards and protocols  Management tools including i.e. Statistics  Training materials & delivering training to peer support workers  Volunteer file Partnership

27. Support of a Psychologist consultant from Veterans Affairs Peer Helper Basic training Professional technical calls Coordinator Activity Round-Table Exercise (CART) Mental Health Expertise and Training

28. Members, Families and Veterans across the country are receiving excellent peer support services Client Satisfaction Feedback (2013-2014-2015) report with a high degree of satisfaction with the program : 4 key Questions : –I received timely services (Average 90%) –The support I received was appropriate for my situation (97%) –OSISS made a positive difference in my life (97%)I would recommend OSISS to someone else (98%) Our Success

29. Successful DND – VAC partnership New peers are coming to the program earlier & numbers are steadily growing Since its creation (2001), OSISS and (2006) HOPE have become an integral community partner Volunteering is strong within the program, with steadily increasing numbers Our Success

30. “Peer is the reason” NATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM (NPSP)

31. FINAL QUESTIONS WWW.OSISS.CA 1 800 883-6094 NATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM (NPSP)

33. 5 Regional Coordinators 63 Full time PSC/FPSC 168 trained volunteers 2,694 active peers as of 25 Apr 16 195 weekly peer support groups OSISS Program Facts

34. When meeting a new resource sell yourself first Stakeholders have to accept and trust you not just the OSISS program Make sure resource understands your role with peers Be accessible to the resource and respond quickly to any requests CONFIDENTIALITY between you and peer ….and you and resource Visit or contact resource frequently just to say “HI” and be visible Fostering Networks

35. Stay neutral in any battle between peer and resource Respect the role, boundaries and working routines of resources When you seek advice respect the response and ask for further ideas if necessary Creating the Foot Print in a Large Geographical Area using our Volunteers Helping Coordinators see the Benefit Of Volunteers, how they can add to their role And not Take Away.

36. Maintain positive routine communications Communicate what you and volunteer expect from each other Assign realistic tasks that volunteer can cope with Make sure volunteer is comfortable supporting specific peers Never get angry at mistakes or errors Maintain your own peer to peer relationship with volunteer Make sure other peers understand role of volunteer!!! Rogues Managing Volunteers

37. Org Chart

38. Maintain routine communications Confirm if peer is OK with phone calls between visits Confirm best time of day to call or visit Visit remote peers as frequently as possible Is peer OK with calls or visits from a volunteer in same area ? Allow time for a quality call or visit Never say “This is just a quick call” Find solutions that give the peer the support THEY require Out Reach from a Distance