Why peer mentoring? What is it? How does it benefit people with disabilities? At Able SC we offer peer mentoring for people with disabilities, and see the benefits for both the mentee and the mentor:
What is peer mentoring?
- Peer mentoring can help youth with disabilities feel more empowered and included in society (National Mentoring Resource Center, 2018)
- Peer mentoring provides 3 great benefits: the feeling of hope from positive disability disclosure from a peer mentor, being a role model and using self-care, and building trust and acceptance with a peer mentee (World Psychiatry, 2012)
- “Peer support offers a level of acceptance, understanding, and validation not found in many other professional relationships” (Mead & McNeil, 2006)
Benefits for peer mentee:
- Peer mentoring helps people with disabilities create successful career and educational plans (National Mentoring Resource Center, 2018)
- Peer mentoring allows people with disabilities to improve their social skills, self-advocacy skills, and self-determination (National Mentoring Resource Center, 2018).
- Youth with disabilities who receive peer support improve their problem-solving skills and independent living skills (National Mentoring Resources Center, 2018)
Benefits for peer mentor:
- “Talking to my peers empowered me and provided me with an extra source of motivation to keep working hard and striving towards my goals (Christopher Reeve Foundation, 2021).”
- Peer mentors who work with peers with psychiatric disabilities can become certified and get paid through the state Medicaid plans (SC Share, 2019).
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