Overview
Peer support emphasizes a mutual relationship based on the sharing of lived and living experience to provide support, empowerment, hope and mentorship. Peer support is an integral part of Foundry’s core services. However, research on the impacts of youth peer support on youth accessing the service and the youth providing the service is very limited to date, particularly about youth peer support in an integrated youth services setting.
The Youth Peer Support study aims to address this gap by examining the experiences and health outcomes of youth accessing peer support and youth peer support workers providing support. The study will be co-designed alongside youth peer support workers and youth and will use mixed methods including qualitative, quantitative and arts-based methods.
The study is led by Dr. Skye Barbic (Head Scientist at Foundry and Associate Professor at University of British Columbia), in collaboration with members of the Foundry peer support program team.
Funders
The Youth Peer Support study is made possible by the support from the British Columbia Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR).
Resources
- Lougheed P, Wuerth K, Mallia E, Lawrence B, Fleming K, Wenger M, Marchand K, Tee K, Barbic S. (2026). Understanding the characteristics of a large cohort of youths accessing in-person and virtual peer support services. Psychiatric Services. In press.
- Warren C, Saulnier L, Brown L, Sulin S. (2025). Escaping evaluation and research myths in integrated youth services: An innovative strategy for cultivating meaningful relationships between Youth Peer Support Workers and evaluation/research teams throughout the Foundry network. Webinar to British Columbia Psychosocial Rehabilitation Advanced Practice.
- Whyte M, Schols-Flett K, Ferrara B, Warren C, Wenger M, Dimitropoulos G, Barbic S. (2025). The occupation of youth peer support workers within an integrated youth services initiative. Community Mental Health Journal. In press.