The Light Project Peterborough’s Homeless Health Peer Advocacy Service

The Light Project in Peterborough recently received £76k over 18 months to run the Homeless Health Peer Advocacy Service (HHPA).

The HPPA is a training programme that helps those with a lived experience of homelessness become Peer Advocates – enabling their peers to start their own journeys toward a more stable lifestyle. They received funding from the Healthier Futures Fund.

The project’s impact has been two-fold:

Peer Advocates have helped those experiencing homelessness to gain improved access to physical and mental health appointments, dentists, and pharmacies, improving their health and welfare
The Peer Advocates themselves have achieved greater stability in their own lives, improving their mental health by providing purpose, opportunities to help others, and being part of a team.

Training and support throughout

Participants underwent an intensive six-day intensive training programme run from the Light Project’s base in Peterborough. Alongside learning what it meant to be a Peer Advocate, the training programme covered topics such as safeguarding, risk assessment, confidentiality and boundaries, equality and diversity, and managing challenging behaviours.

Peer Advocates also received regular check-ins with a Light Project co-ordinator, and were offered further training opportunities in things like First Aid.

Improving access to healthcare and much more

Peer Advocates have been involved in 160 different types of engagements with just under 100 clients. These engagements have included supporting clients to attend both planned and unplanned appointments, advocating on their behalf, filling out forms, and helping with translation.

Whilst the initial plan for the project was to improve attendance at health appointments, the project’s impact has been much more far-reaching. Peer Advocates have supported clients with a range of other activities too, such as:

registering as homeless
connecting clients with the Council’s housing team
setting up bank accounts
accompanying clients to appointments at the job centre or with substance misuse services

Meet Jeff

Jeff first came to Light Project Peterborough as a homeless guest after being referred by the hospital’s mental health team. Jeff was provided with temporary accommodation and access to various support services at the Garden House.

After about three months, Jeff was given his own place to live which enabled him to progress further. This gave him the platform to start volunteering.

Jeff said, “I wanted to give a bit back for all the help and support I had received. It gave me a purpose.”

Jeff soon joined the Light Project’s Homeless Health Peer Advocacy programme and has grown in his confidence and ability to self advocate. He has learned about good teamwork, professional boundaries and safeguarding.

Jeff has discovered that he is good at supporting others, being stable and consistent for them.

“A part of the programme involved helping and supporting guests with filling out forms, taking them to doctor and job centre appointments, and sharing my experiences.”

At the end of the Peer Advocacy programme, Jeff has successfully applied for a Health and Wellbeing Lead role at a local medical centre and will be starting soon.

“
When they offered me the job, I felt valued and seen – others believed in me, so why shouldn’t I believe in myself?

Life circumstances have meant it has been hard for me to see my worth and believe in myself, but things have started to change.
”
Jeff
Peer Advocate

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