Our Core Program: The One-to-One Match
Compeer works as a complement to psychiatric and therapeutic environments for people in recovery from mental health and emotional challenges. Our core program is a 1:1 friendship between someone living with a diagnosed mental health challenge and a supportive and caring friend. Caring volunteers provide social support through friendship and advocacy, by being positive role models, and by providing opportunities for educational and recreational activities. Friends are matched based on shared similar interests and commit to meeting with each other four hours per month for one year. Visits between matches occur in-person, virtually, or over the phone.
We believe our client stories offer the best explanation of the impact of our services. Here is one of many:
Mark and Wayne have been matched for five months.
“Wayne recently moved from independent to supported housing and was not happy about making the transition. He felt his independence would be compromised, and that he would not have the privacy that he valued. This was causing significant anxiety and depression. Newly trained volunteer Mark was ready to be matched with a Compeer friend, and based on our conversation about Wayne, decided he would like to meet him. The two have been talking regularly and have enjoyed each other’s companionship tremendously. At the same time, Wayne began attending Compeer’s Friday afternoon men’s group and is continuing to build social connections. Wayne now embraces his new living situation. He feels supported and enjoys the company of friends he made through Compeer. Wayne has increased confidence, feels appreciated, and has social connections that he never had before.”
THE MATCHING PROCESS
Matches are made based on several factors, such as age, culture, personality traits, interests, geographical location. When a volunteer completes screening and is ready to be matched, a staff member presents potential options to them and the volunteer identifies who they would like to meet. Staff also present information about the volunteer to the client so they can decide whether they think they would be a good match as well. Once both volunteer and client are ready to proceed, staff coordinate an introductory meeting.
Volunteers and clients in our 1-to-1 program are committing to a 1-year friendship. It may last longer at both the client and volunteer’s agreement, but this is not an expectation.
