The Power of Peer Support: Co-Designing a Peer Mentorship Program with Individuals Experiencing Mental Health Challenges

Stigma remains a significant barrier to employment for people with serious mental illness. Peer support has emerged as a promising approach to help individuals navigate workplace challenges and pursue employment goals. This study used a co-design approach to collaboratively develop a peer mentorship program with people with lived experience, who participated as co-investigators. Over 13 co-design meetings, participants identified employment-related support needs and collaboratively developed key program materials, including mentorship guidelines, a program brochure, a peer support toolbox, and a mentor orientation package. This paper describes the co-design process and the development of these resources. Findings highlight how structured co-design activities supported mutual learning, incorporated lived experience expertise into program materials, and facilitated collaborative decision-making among co-investigators. The study demonstrates how co-design can be used to develop practical, employment-focused peer support interventions while promoting equitable collaboration and capacity building among participants.