Effective peer support happens within an integrated care team where peer, clinical, and cultural roles work together like paddlers in a waka—each contributing their unique strengths toward shared goals.​

Understanding team roles

Peer support worker:

• Brings Lived Experience and authentic connection.

• Models hope and recovery possibilities.

• Bridges the gap between professional services and lived reality.

• Supports practical harm reduction and navigates community resources​.

Clinical staff (counsellors, psychologists, nurses):

• Provides therapy, assessment, and clinical interventions.

• Manages risk and complex mental health needs.

• Offers diagnosis and treatment planning​.

Cultural advisors/workers (kaumātua, elders, faith leaders):

• Upholds cultural safety and spiritual wellness.

• Guides culturally appropriate practices and protocols.

• Connects people to cultural identity, community, and healing traditions​.

1. Attend team meetings

• Participate in care planning and case review meetings when appropriate.

• Share your observations about the person's progress, strengths, and challenges—always in neutral, non-judgmental language.

• Respect confidentiality boundaries and only share what's necessary and agreed upon.​

2. Respect each role's unique contribution

• Value what each team member brings; avoid hierarchy thinking.

• Ask questions if you're unclear about roles or responsibilities​.

3. Communicate clearly and regularly

• Keep lines of communication open with supervisors, clinical staff, and cultural workers.

• Report concerns promptly, especially around safety or well-being.

• Use shared care plans and documentation systems where available​.

4. Partner with cultural, community, and faith-based services

• Work closely with Gambling Harm service providers PGF, Mapu Maia and AFS.

• Connect with Pacific services (churches, Pacific counselling, community groups, talanoa circles).

• Engage Asian Family Services and culturally specific supports for Asian communities.

• Engage Kaupapa Maaori services and culturally grounded supports for Maaori communities.

5. Support whānau, aiga, and family involvement

• Recognise that healing is collective—involve whānau with consent.

• Respect cultural protocols around whānau engagement and decision-making.

Facilitate whānau meetings or talanoa when appropriate, working alongside cultural advisors​.

Boundaries are essential to ethical, safe peer support practice. They protect both you and those you support, creating a foundation of trust and professionalism.​

Core boundary principles:

1. Share your story purposefully

• Use self-disclosure to inspire hope and build connection—not to process your own experiences​.

• Share only what benefits the other person and is relevant to their journey​.

• Keep the focus on their story, strengths, and recovery goals.

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2. Protect confidentiality

• Keep all conversations and personal information private​.

• Exception: Break confidentiality only when there is an immediate risk of harm to self or others.

• Know your service's confidentiality policies and mandatory reporting requirements​.

3. Manage dual relationships

• Avoid overlapping personal and professional relationships where possible​.

• In small communities, dual relationships may be unavoidable—manage these with transparency, supervision, and explicit consent​.

• Discuss any potential conflicts with your Team Lead/Supervisor​.

4. Stay within your scope

• Peer work is not clinical—never provide medical advice, diagnosis, or clinical treatment.​

• Know when to escalate or refer to clinical staff, cultural advisors, or specialist services​.

• Develop a safety plan with your line manager for crisis situations.

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5. Never handle money

• Do not lend money, manage finances, or engage in any financial transactions with those you support​.

• Instead, connect people to budgeting services and financial counselling​.

6. Seek regular supervision and peer debrief

• Attend supervision fortnightly or monthly with a trained Lived Experience supervisor​.

• Use peer buddies for regular check-ins and reflection​.

• Supervision helps you maintain boundaries, process challenges, and prevent burnout​.

Remember: Boundaries are not barriers—they are the banks of the river that keep everyone safe. They allow you to walk alongside others with clarity, compassion, and professional integrity.