The PeerNet Association of BC (PeerNetBC), formerly known as the Self Help Resource Association (SHRA), is a registered non-profit and charitable organization across the ceded and unceded Indigenous territories now known as British Columbia, Canada. At PeerNetBC, we take the initiative in fostering shared values of inclusive community development. Learn more about our values here.
We are invested in our mission to provide training, resources, and support to peer-led initiatives across BC, fostering opportunities for people to learn and unlearn with each other and make connections through play, story, and heart.
We do this through . . .
Peer-Led Learning:
Bringing different people and different communities with shared experiences together through our standard and custom workshops.
Engaging Community:
We provide consultation in addition to collaborating and partnering with different origanizations in what is known as British Columbia.
Staying Connected:
Staying connected with networks, committees, advisory groups and organizations that also support and run peer-led initiatives.
We practice our work on unceded, stolen homelands and territories.
We would like to humbly acknowledge that our organization does our work on the stolen and unceded homelands and territories of sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xwməθ kwəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations as well as many other Nations across the territories now colonially referred to as British Columbia.
Colonization is still happening around us, and the struggles of Indigenous people are ongoing. Land has been, and continues to be stolen, and it is important to highlight this by spreading awareness and holding colonialist structures accountable, including our own participation in the Not for Profit sector.
The PeerNetBC Story
In 1986, the Self-Help Collaboration Project launched to address the needs of peer groups wanting to self-advocate. As peer support continued gaining mainstream recognition, we were able to partner with groups who were looking to develop skills and build capacity. The project evolved alongside the needs of the communities we served, becoming the Self-Help Resources Association, a not-for-profit society, in 1993 and a registered charity in 1994.
Over the years, as we grew and terminology shifted, the expression ‘self-help’ no longer held the same meaning as it had in the 1980s, and our name no longer accurately reflected our work’s primary focus. In May 2008, after extensive community consultation and many conversations among staff and board, our membership voted unanimously to rename the organization PeerNetBC.
PeerNetBC continues to provide resources for peer groups and peer-led initiatives. We also help organizations build capacity to shift towards peer-led models of engagement. Our resources and services are available for community members and groups across British Columbia, including rural, First Nations, multicultural and multigenerational engagement initiatives.
What do we mean when we use the term “peer-led”?
A peer-led group consists of people who may come from different backgrounds but share similar life experiences and goals. They see the value in being part of a group where leadership is a shared responsibility, and all members participate equitably. Peer-led groups are autonomous and, while they may opt to seek advice from outside sources, the decision-making power remains with the group.
Honouring this self-advocacy while we support our partners is an integral part of our work at PeerNetBC. Because influences of systemic and institutional power surround us, we also apply the lenses of Anti-Oppression and Social Justice to our definition of “peer-led.”
Thank you to our key funders. Also, check out our annual report for our shout-outs to our community partners!
