What is the Peer Facilitator Program?

The Peer Facilitator Program is designed to expand health and safety training in the continuing care sector. Specifically, it allows organizations to train their own in-house educators, called Peer Facilitators, who train and support their colleagues in the following areas of health and safety:

• Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum
• Gentle Persuasive Approaches in Dementia Care
• Safety Leadership Education
• Safe Resident Handling or Safe Client Handling

What are the benefits?

Organizations

• Get an in-house expert. You’ll have someone to provide regular, relevant, and timely support to all your staff.
• Save money. Instead of paying for each of your staff to attend a health and safety workshop, pay for one to become a Peer Facilitator, who can then train everyone. See how much money you could save.
• Get more flexibility. It’s difficult to send staff to an all-day off-site workshop. With your Peer Facilitator, you can train staff when and where you want.

Individuals

• Expand your skill set. Becoming a Peer Facilitator is an excellent opportunity for personal and professional growth. You’ll increase your knowledge and gain valuable facilitation skills.
• Make an even bigger impact. Directly improve the health and safety of your colleagues in the sector.

Am I eligible?

The Peer Facilitator Program is open to the following individuals:

• Those in a SafeCare BC member organization.
• Those in a SafeCare BC associate member organization.
• Non-members who work in continuing care.

Members have the WorkSafeBC Classification Unit 766011 or 766006. Associate members are service providers or education institutions who’ve purchased a membership.

How do I become a Peer Facilitator?

• Step 1: An individual is interested in becoming a Peer Facilitator.
• Step 2: The individual and their organization both agree that the individual can become a Peer Facilitator (if relevant).
• Step 3: The individual checks the training calendar and applies for a train-the-trainer workshop.
• Step 4: The individual completes the train-the-trainer workshop.
• Step 5: The individual goes through Mentorship with a Master Facilitator, receiving the support they need to deliver education effectively.
• Step 6: After successfully passing Mentorship, the individual becomes a certified Peer Facilitator. They can now train and support others in their organization.

Are there other opportunities?

Secondment Program

Secondment is a formal arrangement between SafeCare BC, a Peer Facilitator, and the Peer Facilitator’s organization. Under the Secondment Agreement, Peer Facilitators facilitate at least three workshops for SafeCare BC over a year. In return, SafeCare BC will pay the backfill replacement wages to the organization.

To become a Seconded Facilitator, you must:

• Currently work for a SafeCare BC member site;
• Have completed Peer Facilitator training and Mentorship.

Independent Contracted Facilitators

Independent Contracted Facilitators are paid to deliver training on behalf of SafeCare BC. They deliver workshops to continuing care workers throughout British Columbia.

To become an Independent Contracted Facilitator, you must:

• Not work for a SafeCare BC member organization;
• Have completed Peer Facilitator training and Mentorship.

Questions?

• Email training@safecarebc.ca.