Culture, Power, Privilege, and Peer Support (Core Competencies: 1.3; 1.5; 1.6; 1.11; 2.6; 2.9; 2.10; 3.5; 3.7; 4.6; 4.18) What is culture? Culture may be defined as the behaviors, values, and beliefs shared by a group of people, such as an ethnic, racial, geographical, religious, gender, class, or age group. Everyone belongs to multiple cultural groups. Each person is a blend of many influences. Culture affects every aspect of a person’s life, including how mental health and substance use challenges are experienced, understood, and expressed. What is power? Power is often understood as the ability to affect change and control or direct others. What is privilege? Privilege is a type of inherent power that affords people benefits, access, and support, frequently without realizing it and often without having earned it. How do culture, power, and privilege intersect with peer support? Certified peer specialists have a variety of roles to play when it comes to the intersection of culture, power, privilege, and peer support. Some are related to the people they are supporting, and others are related to their own experiences. These roles include intentionality with unpacking personal implicit biases and advocating for culturally relevant resources. When certified peer specialists provide peer support, they must recognize that each person’s intersectional identities are unique to themselves, even among people who may come from similar backgrounds. The assumption that people of similar backgrounds are a monolith is harmful, and the intention to educate oneself of this experience is critical to reducing harm in the peer relationship. Additionally, education on the systemic barriers a peer experiences is needed to fully grasp the hindrance a peer has endured when receiving resources or individualized support. This deeper understanding provides a certified peer specialist an awareness to truly meet a peer where they are at in their journey. An effective certified peer specialist will approach each person they support with as much education as empathy to create true mutuality. Taking this into consideration, any information shared by the peer must be reflected in the adjustments made to the support provided.
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