Some Things To Keep In Mind

When starting out, your peer support group might be casual or informal. As the group grows, it’s important to have clear guidelines and procedures to explain how the group is run and managed. These policies and procedures should ideally be created with input from group members and organizational partners.

Some documents that might help you are:

A charter to outline how the group will run, core values, roles, and responsibilities.
Documents that outline what to do in case of a fire or health emergency.
A plan to safely store member information so that it’s protected.
Obtain liability insurance to protect the group and reduce risk.
Set up a registered bank account to manage expenses and funds. Use templates for keeping financial records and reporting to the CRA.

Tip: It’s okay if you don’t have all these policies in place at the beginning. You can work on them as your group develops. Your organizational partner may also provide templates to help you get started.