Global Peer Support Celebration Day

WHAT IS AND WHEN IS GLOBAL PEER SUPPORT CELEBRATION DAY – Global Peer Support Celebration Day (GPSCD) is an annual celebration of peer supporters, peer support, and recognizing their work in helping their peers with mental health, addictions, and or trauma-related challenges move along the continuum of recovery and inclusion into communities of his/her choosing. This annual, worldwide event takes place annually on the third Thursday in October. This purpose of Global Peer Supporters Celebration Day is two-fold: 1) For peers to recognize and reflect on their contributions and celebrate successes; and 2) For the public, elected officials, and others to celebrate and recognize peer supporters and peer work at national, state and local levels, in the organizations that employee them, and throughout the behavioral (mental health and substance use) communities on the third Thursday in October.

WHY SHOULD PEER SUPPORTERS AND PEER SUPPORT BE CELBRATED – GPSCD celebrates peer supporters; the people who provide a shining example of overcoming the challenges often associated with mental health and or addiction issues for their peers. Peer supporters inspire hope and often fail to recognize and reflect on their contribution to serving others. Furthermore, peer supporters forget to celebrate what they do, let alone acknowledge ‘they’ make a difference on a daily basis in the lives of those they serve (seniors, adults, youth, children, and families) or how transformative they are (and have been) in mental health systems and the industry as a whole. This day of celebration and recognition highlights the impact and contributions peer supporters make in the lives of their peers who are facing mental health, addictions, and or trauma-related challenges. Moreover, when ‘one voice becomes many voices,’ elected officials, the public-at-large, organizations, co-workers, and others begin to breakdown stereotypes and stigma, and awareness of and support for peer supporters and peer work develops and grows.