What do you do when a client is not receptive to the peer?

Peer programs should attempt to have a workforce that mirrors the community they are trying to serve. However, trying to get an exact match of such characteristics as race, gender, language, sexual orientation can be difficult. It may also be less important than people assume. Those who have worked with diverse populations have noted that it’s often the caring attitude expressed by the peer that can overcome differences in skin color, gender, etc.

At WORLD, peer advocates range in age from 30 to 55. There are two Latina peer advocates and the other peer advocates are African American. If a client is not receptive to a peer, the program manager checks in with the client and tries to accommodate her.

At Harlem Hospital, the program generally has about five peers working at a time, split between men and women, Spanish language capability, and sexual orientation. There is at least one peer who is African– not African American but African– because there is a large African population in Northern Manhattan.

At Kansas City Free Health Clinic, this has not been a big issue. If an issue comes up, the first step is for the client and peer to try to work things out themselves, because the peer is establishing a relationship with the client. If the client can't get along with the peer for some reason, then the client can contact the peer supervisor directly—each new client is introduced to the supervisor and receives her contact information. The main goal is for clients to continue the program so they can get the education for themselves instead of quitting the program.

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