South Africa
Together with activists and peer- and outreach workers in South Africa, Mainline worked on a practical guide about involving peers in harm reduction work.
This project was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) in South Africa. Mainline worked closely with peer workers, field staff, activists and people who use drugs to create recommendations to employ and manage peer workers. This guide reflects the perspective of peer workers and provides insight in their daily realities.
The result: a very practical guide that can help harm reduction organisations anywhere in the world to truly and meaningfully involve peers in their work.
Special thanks to all the people who helped us during this inspiring assignment!
People who use drugs (PWUD) are key actors in harm reduction programmes, playing critical roles, well beyond being a target group. There is growing recognition of the need for meaningful involvement of PWUD in all aspects of relevant policy and programme development. PWUD have the right to participate in decisions that influence their lives and are the real experts when it comes to harm reduction.
Substantial evidence confirms the crucial added value peers bring to harm reduction programmes. People with lived experience of drug use help to access and build trust with clients, increase the active engagement of PWUD in care, and are building bridges between the clientele and essential services. Moreover, the meaningful involvement of PWUD in harm reduction programmes brings benefits for users themselves: from learning new skills to improving their own self-care and self-esteem.
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Keen to learn more? Here is the link to the Peer Involvement Guide.
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