Peer support
Disability peer support services allow you to connect with someone who understands your experiences.
On this page
A peer supporter is someone who uses their own lived experience of disability to support another person in a similar situation. They are usually a volunteer who has gone through training with their organisation.
Peer supporters aren’t counsellors or social workers, but can provide advice based on their own experiences.
Depending on the particular organisation, a peer supporter might do things like:
listen to you, whether you want talk about your challenges or just what’s going on in your life
share their own experiences and what helped them
direct you to other support services, activities, and opportunities
provide encouragement
help you come up with life goals and work towards them
help you feel more confident and less isolated.
Peer supporters are also different to advocates. Advocates focus on speaking up for someone or helping them speak up for themselves.
Learn more about disability advocacy
There are several organisations that provide disability peer support in New Zealand. Some are quite specific in the disabilities and locations they cover.
Whether you’re looking for a peer supporter or want to volunteer as one yourself, take a look at the services below and get in touch.
My Life My Voice
My Life My Voice connects disabled people with other disabled people around the country.
The team at My Life My Voice can match you up with a peer supporter or you can find one yourself using their app. You can even search by location and expertise.
This service is available to all disabled people, regardless of specific disability.
Check out the My Life My Voice website
Parent to Parent
Parent to Parent has a Support Parent Network for parents with disabled children. This service connects you with a support parent who has a child or family member with the same or similar disability as your child.
Learn more on the Parent to Parent website
Peke Waihanga Peer Support Service
Peke Waihanga Peer Support Service is there for:
amputees
people with limb difference
parents of children with scoliosis or cerebral palsy
The service is available nationwide.
Visit the Peke Waihanga Peer Support Service website
Telefriend
Telefriend is a peer support service for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision, and their caregivers, family, and friends.
Like the name implies, you chat with a peer supporter over the phone.
This service is run by Blind Low Vision NZ.
Find out more about Telefriend
People for Us
People for Us is a bit different to the other services listed here. It’s a peer visiting service for disabled people living in homes funded by Disability Support Services. The visits are to find out if disabled people are:
living a good life
getting good support
safe.
A People for Us visit includes two visitors:
Kaiārahi – a disabled person who leads the visit
Kaiāwhina – an assistant to the Kaiārahi.
Three organisations deliver the People for Us service to different communities:
People First New Zealand – visiting across New Zealand
Te Ahi Kaa – visiting Māori in Waikato and South Auckland
Vaka Tautua – visiting Pacific communities in Auckland.
Learn more on the People for Us website
New Zealand Spinal Trust
New Zealand Spinal Trust has peer support workers who can support people with spinal impairment injury, as well as their families. You can chat with them in person, over the phone, via text messaged, or on a video call.
Visit the New Zealand Spinal Trust website
Spinal Support NZ
Spinal Support NZ provides peer support to patients in the Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit and when they transition into the community.
Learn more about Spinal Support NZ
Gig Buddies
Gig Buddies is a bit different to these other services as it doesn’t necessary match up disabled people.
This service matches adults with a learning disability or autism up with a volunteer who shares the same interests and passions. Once matched up, they can go to events they both enjoy, like concerts, movies, and sports events.
Gig Buddies is available in Auckland and is an initiative of Spectrum Care.
You can sign up to be a volunteer or ‘buddy’ if you are disabled or non-disabled.