The lead of a new peer support drop-in service covering Haliburton County says personalized programming is intended to meet people where they’re at, offering hope to those in the Highlands dealing with mental health and substance use challenges.
The Coming Full Circle program has been running out of the Halco Plaza at 83 Maple Ave. Unit 7A since early September. A grand opening event was held Nov. 4.
David Barkley, program supervisor, said the two-year pilot is a partnership between Point in Time, the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA-HKPR) and the Haliburton County Connections Committee. It was announced last spring, as part of an $800,000 investment from Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program.
Barkley, who has 22 years of experience working in peer support, said uptake has been slow. He said two-to-three people are utilizing the space when it’s open, on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Services are also offered at the Minden Community Food Centre at 24 Newcastle St., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesdays will soon be added to the schedule in Haliburton, likely in late November, Barkley said. There are also plans to expand to Wilberforce and offer programs in the evening.
“The goal is to be doing something somewhere at least once per week,” Barkley said. “Drop-ins are meant to be low barrier. There are no expectations. This is a person-centred space. We want to get to know people, what their goals are, what they’re passionate about, and how we can help them on their path.
“If all people are looking for right now is a warm place to go for a cup of coffee, we can be that place. If you’re not quite ready to talk, but want to be around other people, this is somewhere you can do that… we want to be a spot people can feel welcome, even if they feel like they have nowhere to go,” he added.
The service boasts six staff members, trained in things like crisis intervention and conflict management. All of them draw from their education when helping to get people back on track, with some also boasting lived experience – a key component to truly connecting with people suffering, Barkley said.
Alongside counselling-type peer supports, the drop-in can also be a fun space. There are games, arts and crafts and musical instruments available most days.
Coming Full Circle doesn’t have any quotas, Barkley said, saying they will measure success on the differences they are able to make.
“Helping one person is success to me… though, we do have broader goals. We’re funded for two years, so we want to showcase what a successful peer support model can look like. I want the community to see the benefits of peer support, so that if time is eventually up for us in terms of being here, there is a lasting legacy,” Barkley said.
“At the end of the day, it’s just community activism. People helping others through difficult circumstances and experiences.”
For more information about the program, email dbarkley@cmhahkpr.ca.
