'Peer Support' System Could Lift People Out of Poverty, Homelessness: NB Activist

The NB Media Co-op has been holding a series of media production workshops for people involved with the NB Common Front for Social Justice, a grassroots anti-poverty and social justice organization.

Five sessions have taken place at the Moncton public library since the beginning of February, focussing on some basics of DIY journalism and video production. One of the people taking part is Robert MacKay, community co-chair of the NB Common Front for Social Justice.

Inspired by peer-support program initiatives in the United States, MacKay envisions a similar model in New Brunswick where individuals with lived experience could become a “whole new workforce” contributing to mental health services while transitioning people off of social assistance.

We have a new article on our website (nbmediacoop.org) based on this interview, written by Bailey Andrews, a sociology graduate from Mount Allison University.

These interviews are part of a bigger project looking at issues including mental illness and poverty in New Brunswick, told from the perspectives of people with lived experiences of poverty.

Some participants with lived experience of poverty received a small honorarium from the NB Media Co-op to offset ancillary costs associated with participation (e.g. childcare, time away from paid work, etc.) that could act as a barrier to engagement. These honoraria also served as thank you for sharing knowledge, experience and expertise and for helping to produce this content. We gratefully acknowledge these contributions.

David Gordon Koch is a journalist with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Stations and Users (CACTUS).