The second blog in our series of stories rounding up the work we've been doing in the Nesta Health Lab in 2015. 

The literature shows that peer support can help people feel more knowledgeable, confident and happy, and less isolated and alone.

In the Health Lab, we are backing a number of peer support projects through our Centre for Social Action Innovation Fund, and peer support is one of five areas of practice in our Realising the Value programme.

In the early autumn, I was invited to the annual Stroke Association’s UK Stroke Club Conference where I was fortunate enough to hear about the benefits and positive impacts of peer support first-hand. And it was at the conference dinner where I witnessed peer support in action, as I was sat with the Merseyside Life After Stoke Group – winners of the 2015 Stroke Group Award, and a group that we have funded to pilot an exercise and activity group.

Just by sharing a meal with this fun-loving and boisterous group, I was able to see for myself the power of people powered health. I learned then (as I do everyday in the Health Lab) how much people’s health and wellbeing can be improved by leveraging 'more than medicine'.

Watch the video of their story below:

Video of mdcEpecIA_c