Evidence clearly shows the benefits of peer support programs and our members and people living with MS have found them to be friendly, supportive, informative and practical.

What is a Peer Support Group?
A peer support group is a gathering of people with MS. The purpose of the group is to provide support to each other and to share information by:

• Learning more about MS
• Sharing feelings and experiences
• Obtaining accurate information
• Providing an opportunity to talk through problems or choices being faced
• Listening to others who share similar feelings and experiences
• Helping others through the sharing of ideas and information
• Knowing they are not alone

If you would like to attend any of the groups below, or start another group, please contact the Peer Support Coordinator from the MS Society. Email kathrinec@ms.asn.au or phone 08 8203 6600 or 0433 534 482. There are currently people on waiting lists that are unable to attend the groups below and would love to join a more convenient group. All groups are free or at a minimal cost and can be during or outside of business hours.

Peer Support Groups meet in the following areas:

There are also groups about to start in: Port Lincoln and Murray Bridge

If you’re curious about the groups, come along to a meeting and have a chat, meet some new people and decide if it will work for you. Family members and carers are welcome. If you’d like to start or join a group in your area, please the Peer Support Counsellor to discuss your needs and interests.

PROJECTS

A number of Peer Support projects are developed each year. These are aimed at providing new and interesting avenues of support to people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Current projects include:

• Education and Support for parents with MS (aimed at parenting children under 5 years)

PEER MENTORING

The Peer Mentor Program has been developed to assist people recently diagnosed with MS.

Peer Mentors are people who have been living with MS for some time. Their role is to provide informal advice via telephone contact or face to face contact where arranged (usually through a Newly Diagnosed Support Group).

The Peer Mentors are trained in providing sensitive, timely advice to enable you to cope with your experience of MS. Peer Mentors are able to listen to your needs, provide practical hints for daily management of your condition, assist in pointing you in the right direction to access community resources or MS Society services.

If you would like to have contact with a Peer Mentor or a join a Newly Diagnosed support group, please contact the Peer Support Counsellor who will match you with the most suitable Mentor or group in your area.

ONLINE SUPPORT

If you have access to a computer and to Facebook, there is a South Australian and Northern Territory online MS community that can provide support. Information is provided by the MS Society Peer Mentors and conversations are monitored by the Peer Support Counsellor.

You might find it a bit nerve-wracking to attend a group or speak with someone in person about your MS. Maybe you’re just not ready to speak or meet a person with MS yet, but would like some advice anyway. Maybe distance is an issue if you live in a rural or remote area. Online support might be an option for you.

The forum is always accessible for people with MS. Follow the links from our webpage or go to www.facebook.com/MSConnections

Every Thursday between 7pm and 9pm a new topic is posted and discussion is encouraged for the whole week. The Peer Support Counsellor and Peer Mentors are available online at this time to provide support and the discussion is checked daily to answer any questions.

Contact details:

Peer Support Counsellor: 0433 534 482 or 8203 6600

GROUP INSIGHTS

Carolyn Cordon, a local author and group member in Gawler shares her experience about Peer Support programs.

I was a little unsure when I went along to my first MS Peer Support meeting in Gawler. I didn’t really know any of these people and I was unsure if we would get along. However I still went along, because the idea with catching up with other people living with MS appealed to me. At that time I had been diagnosed with MS for one year.

I’d met other people with MS in exercise classes at Elizabeth South. Everyone in the classes was lovely and more than happy to share their greater knowledge on how to live well with MS. That was the sort of thing I hoped for from the Peer Support Group in Gawler, which is much closer to where I live.
I only knew of one person living in my area who had MS, Karen, who I’d rung up and chatted with after hearing about her from someone I knew in Mallala. Karen said she hoped to get to the meeting, so I decided I was definitely going, and I was going to enjoy myself. I hoped the meeting would be as good as I wanted it to be.
The day for the first meeting finally arrived. There were lots of people there and some carers, as well at Kathrine Cock. I’d chatted to and emailed Kat before and I enjoyed meeting her in person. I was glad to meet Karen in person too. We chatted about all kinds of things, drank coffee and ate biscuits. It was a lovely morning tea. I didn’t get everyone’s name completely sorted out that morning, but I knew I wanted this group to continue, and I knew I wanted to continue to be a part of the group.