Online Peer Advisors
Here at TheSite.org we train our volunteer peer advisors to answer relationships questions that come in through askTheSite.
Peer advisors are mentored by one of our five expert advisors. The relationships section in askTheSite is often very busy and we couldn't answer each question with a comprehensive and personal response if it were not for the help that the peer advisors provide.
Alice, a new peer advisor, explains why she enjoys the role;
"Even though I'm new to it, I think I'll enjoy being a Peer Advisor a great deal. It's different to the other voluntary things I do, more direct and personal. At the same time as (hopefully) helping others, I think the process of sitting down and thinking carefully about an issue, placing myself in a situation I probably would not otherwise have to deal with, deepens my sense of empathy for others and makes me feel more able to help people in my own life. For a skeptic and a rationalist, this is a great thing to force oneself to do on a regular basis, and I'd even go as far as to say it helps me to be a better person."
Feedback of the Month
Our users give feedback on the answers they receive. We get a lot of positive feedback; this section will highlight the best of these each month.
'I think it will help my situation greatly. It was very good advice and I hope to use it as back up when confronting my partner about everything. Although I didn't give a lot of information, the writer seemed to know a lot about the subject and gave excellent advice on how to resolve my problem. Thanks a lot.'
Who are they?
Our peer advisors come from a range of backgrounds and get involved with lots of extra activities on top of their peer advising. Some peer advisors also take part in live relationship chats and represent TheSite.org on Yahoo Answers. They can also act as buddies for newer trainees and help to support their training.
New Advisors
Welcome to:
Claire trained in June/July 2009. She is currently a stay-at-home Mum after being made redundant earlier this year and is loving it! She answers question while her daughter has her nap. She wanted to do the peer advisor role whilst she's on her "career break" bringing up her daughter as it's something just for her and completely different from the day to day. It helps to keep her mind active and gives her useful experience for the future.
Alice trained in April/May 2009. She studied Philosophy at university and now works in Policy, Ethics and Parliamentary Affairs at a national health and social care charity. She has volunteered for several human rights projects in the past and helps to run a humanist group in Central London. She enjoys being a Peer Advisor for askTheSite because she likes to write and feels she can help people in a very personal way.
Helen trained in June/July 2009. She had been looking for a volunteering opportunity for several months when she came across TheSite.org, and thought it would be a great way to do some volunteering from home. She graduated with a Psychology degree in 2007 and is heading back to uni in October to start a Masters in Work Psychology and Business. Becoming a peer advisor has opened her eyes to the wide range of issues people face in their lives. She hopes that by answering questions submitted to askTheSite she can (hopefully) help some individuals to find a way forward from a difficult time.
Active Peer Advisors
Amelia trained in June/July 2009 and has taken part in the most recent live relationships chat. She works in qualitative research, often working with teenagers which complements her role as a peer advisor. She feels young people aren't always taken seriously when it comes to relationships, and is pleased to have the opportunity to offer some advice, and to learn more about the issues Britain's teenagers are facing.
Cherrelle works for Hays Social Care and began volunteering for askTheSite as she was eager to use her spare time to help others. She is particularly passionate about the issues faced by young people and is very happy to have the opportunity to offer help and advice.
Babak trained in March/April 2009. He has previously volunteered for Sexpression and he is considering studying psychology in the future. He feels that the internet is an integral part of young peoples lives and values being part of the way TheSite.org uses online tools to help young people.
Sophie trained in April/May 2009. She works for Leonard Cheshire Disability as a fundraiser and has volunteered for Go London in the past. She has helped us complete a case study for a fundraising report and will be taking part in a live chat on relationships with the Princess Royal Trust for Carers.
Jenna trained in April/May 2009. She has previously volunteered for Go London doing day projects and is peer advising to develop her advice skills. She also volunteers for Victim Support. She has volunteered to help with training new advisors and will be taking part in a live chat on relationships with the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. She is currently completing an accredited course in Giving Online Relationships Advice with OCNLR and YouthNet and is regularly voted best answer for the Yahoo Answers questions she completes for TheSite.org.
Irena is currently studying for a post graduate diploma in Psychology and hopes to do a masters in clinical psychology. She has work as a mentor in a school environment and sees volunteering as an opportunity to develop her advisory skills, better assess real life situations and play a positive support role in peoples lives.
Laura trained in March/April 2009. She had a background in gender studies and has worked for various charities and women's organisations in the past. She recently attended some Samaritans training at YouthNet.
Alexia trained in March/April 2009. She has started answering questions. She works for Age Concern and was looking for volunteering opportunities which would enable her to gain experience with a younger group of people. This project matches both this aim as well as her interest in learning and researching youth issues involving relationships and sexual health. She wishes a site like this had been invented when she was a teenager and finds it really rewarding to reach out to young people knowing that she is helping them grapple with what's going on in their lives.
Catherine trained in March/April 2009. She also volunteered for the marketing department in YouthNet, where she first heard about the opportunity to become an online peer advisor. She will be starting her PGCE in September 2009 and hopes that her time dedicated to peer advising will give her a good start in her teaching career. She has started answering questions.
Ranjot trained in March/April 2009. As well as studying Psychology to go on to be a clinical psychologist and advising once a week, she also works in retail and is a trained beautician. She says her role allows her to gain experience on giving advice not only to people on askTheSite.org but also to friends and family.She is currently completing an accredited course in Giving Online Relationships Advice with OCNLR and YouthNet.
Suzanne trained in April 2005. She has also taken part in making a video case study of the peer advisor role and helped with research into improving volunteering. She has taken part in a live chat, acts as a buddy to new trainees and has helped with recent training sessions as well as being interviewed for Investing in Volunteers for YouthNet. Always willing to chat about the benefits of peer advising, being a peer advisor has improved her once average agony aunt skills tenfold, to the benefit of her friends and family!
Katrina trained in March 2006 and has advised weekly ever since - recently helped by her one year old son. She has also helped with research into improving the peer advisor role and acts as a buddy to new trainees. She has volunteered to take part in future live chats and has helped with training new advisors.
Dan trained in March 2006 and advises when he is not training for marathons, travelling and training to be a psychotherapist. He has taken part in a live expert chat, helped with research into improving the peer advisor role and made podcasts of training sessions. He also acts as a buddy to new trainees and has been interviewed for Investing in Volunteers for YouthNet.
Marissa trained in June 2006. She initially answered questions on askTheSite but now helps with Yahoo Answers questions - which she answers while her son is having his afternoon nap! She is regularly voted best answer for the Yahoo Answers questions she completes for TheSite.org.She has also helped with research into improving the role, acts as a buddy and has helped to train new advisors.She recently attended some Samaritans training at YouthNet.
Chau trained in October 2006. She answers questions weekly - often fitting more than one around her medicine degree. She has helped create a video case study and with research into improving peer advising. She has also taken part in two live chats and a telephone interview for a student magazine as well as acting as a buddy to new trainees. She recently attended the launch of YouthNet's Life Support Appeal as a representitive of the peer advisors.
Jenna trained in 2007. Peer advising adds an interesting extra element to her job as an assistant psychologist. She has taken part in research into improving the role and acts as a buddy to new trainees. She is currently completing an accredited course in Giving Online Relationships Advice with OCNLR and YouthNet..
Miriam trained in June 2007. Fitting in advising with another volunteering role and her job as a corporate banker keeps her very busy! She enjoys being able to offer useful advice each week and she hopes that she's learnt a few things about relationships on the way. She has helped create a video case study of the role, taken part in research into improving the role and acts as a buddy to new trainees. She has also volunteered to take part in future live chats.
Aesha trained in March 2007. She is also a trustee for YouthNet so understands how valuable the peer advising service is and hopes she can be a real help to those whose questions she answers. Aesha currently works on the attraction and recruitment strategy and delivery for BBC North - the BBC's new home in MediaCityUK, Salford Quays.
Caroline trained in September 2007 and has advised regularly ever since. She has helped with research into improving the role, taken part in two live chats and acts as a buddy to new trainees. She is currently working as a children's therapy assistant, but has just applied to study occupational therapy next year. Her interest in cognitive behaviour therapy, attachment theory and mental health informs her peer advising role.
Freya trained in September 2007 and manages to fit answering questions in alongside her psychology degree - where she is researching volunteering for her dissertation. She has also helped with research into improving the peer advisor role and recently look part in a live relationships chat on the boards.
Cauvery trained in September 2007 after studying a BA in Sociology with Third World Development. She advises regularly and has also helped with research into improving the peer advisor role. She also volunteers elsewhere and she is very interested in community development in general. askTheSite has helped to improve her writing and thinking skills. She hopes to move to India at the end of the year in order to move into community development as a full time occupation. She has recently volunteered to contribute to the new TheSite.org Outposts blog.
Radhika trained in May 2008. She has helped with research into improving the role, acts as a buddy to new trainees and has volunteer to do extra research and writing for the peer advisor website. She is currently studying law and hopes that in the future she will be able to help people by giving them excellent legal advice (fingers crossed on this one!). She has had quite a few voluntary roles in the past and has a few at the moment - they all keep her very busy (and out of trouble!).She is currently completing an accredited course in Giving Online Relationships Advice with OCNLR and YouthNet and has recently volunteered to contribute to the new TheSite.org Outposts blog.
Claire trained in November 2007. She works as an accountant by day and a peer advisor by night! She says the role keeps her in touch with young people and helps to keep the 'daily grind' in perspective. She acts as a buddy to new trainees, helped with training new advisors, has taken part in an interview for a Volunteer Week case study and has taken part in a live chat. She also helped with research into improving the role and has been interviewed for Investing in Volunteers for YouthNet.
Mari trained in March 2008. She advised while working for Mencap and is currently in the middle of a move back to Oslo. She also took part in research to help improve the peer advisor volunteer role.
Jo trained in May 2008. She became an online peer adviser in the hope that her life experiences will offer hope to others who are going through challenging and confusing times of their own. She works in Equality and Diversity and feels that the values she has learnt through her job, are portrayed through the advice she gives. She has also helped with research into improving the role.She is currently completing an accredited course in Giving Online Relationships Advice with OCNLR and YouthNet.
Samy trained in July 2008. As well as studying for a psychology degree and peer advising, he works as a playworker for Transcend and as a freelance camera man and video editor.
Kayleigh trained in July 2008 and has since advised all the way from Australia. She has studied psychology previously and peer advising is helping her gain experience before studying a Masters in psychotherapy.
Nisha trained in May 2008.
Sarah trained in November 2007. She peer advises while studying at Greenwich University.
Alex trained in June 2008. She has also taken part in research to help improve the volunteer opportunity, acts as a buddy to new trainees and has volunteered to take part in future live chats. She currently works as a market researcher but enjoys the chance to work with young people in this role.
Andy trained in November 2007 and, after a break and a move to Sheffield, has started fitting advising around all the marking involved in a teacher training course. He has also helped create a video case study of the peer advisor role.
Mario trained in July 2008.
Anneliese trained in October 2008. She has also helped with research into improving the role, volunteered to take part in future live chats, answered Yahoo Answers questions and done research on Writing Therapy for the peer advisor website. She currently works for the Parkinson's Disease Society and Prostate Cancer Charity in advice/information roles so has knowledge of and interest in disability/health and how this can affect relationships.
Peer Advisor Alumni
2005
Syirin H, Sobia R, Dean C, Dharini P, Elaina I, Atif K, Angie M, Jane F, Chloe T, Alex G, Sarah R, Sarah N, Chloë A, Dhrutti V, Kate S, Nicola P, Michelle G, Chris P, Donna D, Marlon L, Margaret C, Sonia Kumar and Eleanor R.
2006
Dharini P, Sarah W, Jo F, Damien W, Rita C, Sam T, Simon W, Sheryl W, Michaela T, Claire D, Christele E, Nazia K, Margaret M, Dami O, Aaron B, Vicky P, Keera D, Michelle A, Eva K, Ayshen G, Bryony H, Nisha P, Alexander Y and Kieran H.
2007
Nazia K, Keera D, Ayshen G, Tash J, Jill S, Tania C, Katy L, Gemma M, Johanna W, Sasha G, Helen W and Claire J.
2008
Simon W, Diana, Tarnia E, Denise, Cara G and Anil K.
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