The West of England Peer Academy will help people overcoming drug or alcohol addiction, homelessness, those with an offending background and people with poor mental health. The fully accredited training will help people to become peer mentors – someone who uses their own experience to help others going through similar situations.

Participants will work towards a Level Two Award in Peer Mentoring and choose from a range of other activities to help them into work.

In addition, the project will offer an online toolkit and resources to support other community organisations working with socially excluded people to set up their own peer service.