Peer Education Support Program (PESP)
Working alongside people who have been without a home
The Peer Education Support Program (PESP) is a volunteer program run by Council to Homeless Persons, which links people who have been without a home to organisations and government bodies to help improve Victoria’s homelessness service system and policies.
This flexible program supports people who have been without a home to advocate and speak knowledgeably about the systemic and structural issues behind homelessness, working within a facilitated and supportive peer group.
The PESP team plays a vital role in enhancing understandings of homelessness and developing solutions, while promoting the transformative power of consumer participation in service design and policy making.
PESP team members are available for activities including (but not limited to):
training and advice
group and individual presentations
peer facilitation of focus groups, interviews, and surveys
peer support
media interviews and activities
consultation with all levels of government
consultation with the specialist homelessness sector and related sectors
participation in working / steering groups and committees.
To book a PESP team member for an activity, or for more information, call 8415 6210 or email cassandra@chp.org.au
Meet the PESP team
Our PESP team is a group of remarkable people who volunteer their time to help others understand homelessness.
PESP team members who have finished the program have the opportunity to become graduate members. Graduate team members continue their involvement with the program and are available take part in PESP activities.
How can PESP help?
The perspectives of people who have been without a home can add valuable insights to training, events, media, and calendar activities.
Find a range of ready-made activities below, or if you have other ideas, the team would love to hear them. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Understanding homelessness training
Presented by PESP members, this training provides a comprehensive overview of key homelessness issues from the perspective of individuals who have been without a home.
Learning objectives
To provide participants with a detailed understanding of homelessness – including its definitions, causes, effects, and the lived experience – in order to inform their work.
Topics covered
The topics delivered have been developed in collaboration with PESP members, and include:
definitions of homelessness and statistics
myths and facts
causes and effects of homelessness
consumers of homelessness services
personal experiences
rights-based approach versus charity.
Duration and delivery
1.5 hours / In-person or online
Bookings
To book this training for your organisation or team, please call 8415 6210 or email cassandra@chp.org.au
Video interviews
Each member of the PESP team has taken part in pre-recorded interviews, which are available for organisations who wish to display them at training, events, and workshops.
Questions range from “What is your key message to people about homelessness?” to “What does home mean to you?”
To view the videos and talk more about how they can be of use to you, call 8415 6210 or email cassandra@chp.org.au
Conversations about home
As the world has become used to working virtually, the PESP team has responded by hosting online conversations about home. These online events feature a panel discussion with PESP team members that explore the concept of home, what it means, and why it is so fundamental to our wellbeing.
Conversation topics can be broad, or focused on a particular element of home – for example, the importance of pets for wellbeing, or difficulties in rental application processes.
If you would like to host a conversation about home for your organisation or team, call 8415 6210 or email cassandra@chp.org.au