The Building Pathways Peer Support Program (PSP) is an initiative developed by Men's Resources Tasmania for the Tasmanian Prison Service to create support for new inmates in correctional facilities. The program utilizes a peer-based model to provide support to new prisoners, reducing feelings of isolation, anxiety, and distress upon arrival, and growing ongoing support for other inmates.
Peer support workers are trained inmates who assist new prisoners with understanding prison operations, administrative tasks, accessing health services, connecting with other inmates and providing social and emotional support. The program aims to build key life skills for participants, reduced suicidality, and support improved wellbeing outcomes for the broader prison community.
The PSP curriculum includes training sessions on communication skills, active listening, conflict resolution, trauma awareness, mental health, and self-care. Peer supporters also receive individual coaching to develop their skills and reflect on their experiences. The program emphasizes creating a non-judgmental, empathetic environment where prisoners can support each other while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
Theoretical underpinnings of the PSP include lived experience, community development, emotional intelligence, strengths-based approaches, and desistance theory. The program aims to create a collaborative, restorative environment within the prison context.
Program objectives include maintaining a volunteer base of peer supporters, providing structured engagement opportunities for prisoners, improving core life skills, enhancing rehabilitation outcomes, and fostering collaboration between corrections staff and inmates. Expected outcomes include successful integration of new prisoners, reduced isolation and self-harm, improved prison community dynamics, and personal growth for peer support workers, improved wellbeing and reduced suicidal ideation and behaviour.
This presentation will provide an overview of the program and share implementation considerations such as diversity among peer workers, tailoring training to the prison context, balancing training with coaching, and challenges associated with data collection and securing institutional support. We’ll highlight some of the stories that demonstrate the value of training and coaching in the prison context.
Overall, the Peer Support Program represents an innovative approach to reducing suicidality improving prisoner wellbeing and rehabilitation through empowering inmates to support each other in a structured, skills-based program. By tapping into the lived experience and potential of prisoners themselves, the PSP aims to create a more positive prison environment, reduce the suicidality of inmates, and better prepare participants for successful reintegration into society.