Greater Boston Chapter

Peer Visitor Program

Trained peer mentors act as positive role models, offering their assistance to others with SCI. Peers are there to answer questions, confide in and to provide useful techniques for adjusting to a new way
of life. The GBC has over 40 trained peers. Choose a Peer Visitor

A spinal cord injury is a life-changing event for the individual injured, their family and friends. The newly injured must learn to cope with the dramatic change and adjust to their post-injury life.

The GBC has a nationally recognized Peer Visitation Program that provides positive role models to the newly injured. Peers meet with the newly injured on an ongoing basis and provide support, resources, and stability to the newly injured. Peers focus on the overall independence and well being of a person, enhancing their problem solving abilities for successful adjustment to a new injury. Peers demonstrate and discuss an array of issues more easily, as they themselves deal with those same issues every day.

A peer is selected to 'mentor' a newly injured individual based upon his or her injury level, sex, age, and other considerations. The Chapter believes the more 'alike' a peer and the newly injured are the more successful they will be working together. Whether the newly injured individual wants to see how a peer transfers from a wheelchair to the car, or talk with the peer about a personal care issue, the peer is there to answer questions, confide in and provide useful techniques for adjusting to a new way of life.

Peers will meet with individuals in hospitals, rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities, at home, or will arrange a 'first trip' to a restaurant, the shopping mall or an athletic event. For others telephone support is more appropriate, the Peer Visitor Program is tailored to the needs of each participant.

Selection Criteria of Peer Visitors
Peer visitors are volunteers who have spinal cord injury and are interested in helping others adjust to their post-injury life. All of the peer visitors representing the Greater Boston Chapter of NSCIA have successfully completed a Peer Visitation Training Program.

A sample of the topics peers have been trained on:

Dealing with injury/dysfunction
Self confidence
Family adjustment
Relationships with others
Sexuality
Housing/independent living programs
Driving/transportation

Peer Visitation Training Video
The Greater Boston chapter of National Spinal Cord Injury Association's nationally renowned Peer Visitation Program has a training video available through a grant from the Massachusetts Health & Research Institute in Boston.

This unique peer visitation training video offers personal interaction and instruction between program instructor Mike Ferriter, MSW and the trainees. Through their discussions you'll see the trainees go through "the learning experience" involved in assisting with new injuries.

Materials Include:

Reading materials on CD
Choice of DVD - $35.00 or VHS - $25.00

To learn more about the Peer Visitor Program please email us at sciboston@aol.com with your contact information.