PEERS Alliance works to bring drug users together for support

The group PEERS Alliance is working to engage people struggling with addiction on P.E.I. to work as part of a peer mentorship program.

Executive director Cybelle Rieber said the goal is to build skills and a sense of community for those who are actively using drugs. These are people who often fall through the cracks of other programs, she said.

"It's not my choice as to whether or not people use or don't use," said Rieber.

"Really what our end game is is to help people who want to make choices that are healthier. Those choices may be about not using or maybe they're about using differently or thinking about the ways they use in different contexts, or accessing other services that they didn't know about."

Establishing advisory board

PEERS Alliance received funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada to help develop the program over five years.

So far they've held focus groups and are putting together an advisory board. That board will be made up of people who are either active users or in recovery.

Thursday night PEERS Alliance is screening a documentary,The Stairs, about a similar peer support program in Toronto.

It will be shown at Harbourside Health Centre in Summerside starting at 6 p.m.

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