Peer mentors are mentors living with a disability who have valuable experiences breaking down barriers. Photo credit: everypixel.com
Adapting to change can be difficult when everything you have known to this point changes. What was once a routine that we overlook becomes a barrier we can’t see past. When disabilities change the path to independence, we need someone who can relate to help us find a new path. A peer mentor is someone who has overcome barriers to reaching their goals for independence and uses their experiences to empower others who may be facing some of the same challenges. Freedom Resource Center volunteer and peer mentor Shelby Wolter defines a peer mentor as someone who wont walk in front of you or behind you but walk beside you. Peer mentors like Shelby can promote personal growth by sharing their own experiences and how they have dealt with the ‘ups and downs’ of having a disability. We realize there are many paths to independence. Together, we can find yours.
If you or someone you know needs somebody to walk beside them, call 1-800-450-0459 or visit Freedomrc.org.
