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An additional intervention option for programming with men who use violence, is the utilization of peer mentors. Peer mentors are individuals who share similar backgrounds and/or experiences with the men in programming. Often these mentors have themselves gone through family

violence programming. It is believed that their shared experience and personal progress will serve as a model and guide through the process for men beginning their journey of change (Hasty, 1991).

Peer mentors can work in a variety of capacities. They can be matched with male program participants and act as supports and social resources, as in the case of AA sponsors. After care or follow up programming is often an ideal venue for mentors to work in this capacity. Some serve as guest speakers who give motivational talks about their own experiences and process of

change. Others help to organize program events and/or do outreach work and program

promotion. In some cases peer mentors are used as group or workshop co-facilitators or program crisis line workers. For these types of tasks, it is best if they work under the direct supervision of qualified staff. In Winnipeg, The Evolve Men's Program utilizes peer mentors, with the former using them in their follow up group and the latter using them as group co-facilitators. Because peer mentors will be influential to men in programming, it is important that they undergo assessment, screening and training. These measures will work to maximize the benefits of quality peer mentors and reduce the potential harm that can be done by individuals who are not ready to act as mentors to others.

There are a number of potential benefits to using peer mentors. As previously mention in the section on group work, men can challenge each other on behaviours in a different way that counsellors can and since peer mentors have often been through the same experiences as the program participants, they too can elicit a different process of accountability in the men. Their credibility comes from the lived experience they share with the men. In this way they can compliment the more therapeutic work done by the staff. Having successfully gone through the process of changing their own behaviour, they can serve as role models for the men, giving them hope that they too can change and making them feel less alone in the process. Many of these men are at the point of their own healing where they want to give something back and therefore they often themselves benefit from helping others.

In addition to the above benefits there are numerous problems that can occur when using peer mentors. Spending time matching peer mentors with participants, if this is part of the peer mentor position in a particular program, will be important. Holbeche (1996) found that in career training a poor peer mentor/participant match can lead to insecurity and distrust. Given that this was found for an employment situation, it may be heightened with a sensitive issue like family violence. Further, if the peer mentors have themselves used abuse, it will be important that they have completed their recovery work and dealt with their own issues around violence. Otherwise, they may have problems maintaining boundaries; they may focus on their own issues rather than the participants'; or they may encourage unhealthy behaviours and social networks in the men they are mentoring, all of which would hinder intervention. Subsequent feedback that they are not doing a good job or are not ready to be a mentor, may then interfere with their recovery. Since mentor positions are often volunteer positions, the mentors may not take it as seriously as

they would a job, and therefore they may not be reliable in terms of being on time or completing tasks. Because of these potential problems and because mentors are not qualified professionals, it is important that service providers not let mentors work in isolation or take on the role of counsellor. Legal issues may also arise. Taking on volunteers as mentors may be considered a breach of the collective agreement in unionized agencies. Thus, agencies will have to investigate the legalities of using peer mentors.

Research into the effectiveness of peer mentorship in cases of intimate partner violence is very limited (Sheehan DiCara, LeBailly, & Christoffel, 1999), however some evidence of their impact exists from their use in other social support programs. Studies on their use in addiction programs indicate that the presence of peer mentors or sponsors decreases the likelihood that alcoholics will return to their addiction (Rush, 2003). Research on the impact of a mentoring program at Big Brothers and Big Sisters (Grossman & Tierney, 1998) found that success depended on pre- screening of volunteers to maximize the safety and commitment of the mentors; matching of youth with mentors; close supervision and contact with a case manager to provide guidance and support when difficulties arose; and extensive training in social and communication skills. These findings support the need for caution in using peer mentors, especially for issues with the

complexity of intimate partner violence. However, with appropriate measures this program component can be advantageous to the process of change for participants.