Peer Potential (Self-Directed Support) was a three-year project funded under the Scottish Government Self-Directed Support Capacity Building Programme.
Quick fact: The Scottish Government invested £58.8 million into self-directed support which allows people, their carers and their families to make informed choices about how they receive their social care support
Peer Potential created and supported a capacity-building network of small, lived experience-led organisations to develop their role/identity, so that they could provide sustainable peer-led SDS services to people with mental health problems.
This project explored the potential of peer-led services under SDS in Argyll and Bute, using co-production approaches to develop local solutions and test service models from across the world. In doing this, it created positive examples of SDS in practice in mental health, using these to promote SDS and support the development of an exciting, dynamic workforce of peers delivering services.
“Although Argyll and Bute is the second largest local authority it has the sparsest population in Scotland with 45% of the population living in either a rural area on the Scottish mainland or on one of the 23 inhabited islands. This creates many unique challenges for the area, in particular with providing access to affordable and sustainable services for people with social care support needs.
In order to give people a better voice to describe what they needed from support, we used a graphic facilitator to listen to and illustrate the discussions held with people across the region. This process enabled people to not only explain their particular issues and concerns, but it also offered a clear way to identify the solutions they wished to see.” - Chris White, Participation & Citizenship Officer
This short video gives an overview of the 'It's My Life' resource, produced in partnership with PlusPerth and Ayr Action for Mental Health.
For more information, please contact Chris White, Citizenship and Participation Officer
Email Chris