Best Start Peer Support Project - feedback on each of our sessions

To help us assess the course offered by the Best Start peer support project, we asked participants to give some comments on each week’s content.

Week 1 – Dealing with Stress

Because now I can recognise when my stress starts, I can practice these exercises to cool down.
Useful ways to recognise my stress levels and useful resources to help clam the stress levels down.
I think maybe more skills and techniques could be implemented.
I am now using the breathing exercise on a regular basis to help me manage my stress and anxieties etc.
Breathing exercises were helpful.

This session was important as now I know where I can go to get information about things I want or need.
I feel more confident with support groups.
It’s given me so much more confidence to be able to ask for help and support. It also made me look at what support I have, it made me examine my life and situation and what changes I need to make.
Before I came to this group I wouldn’t have reached out for support, as I felt I would have been judged by professionals and friends. I now feel more confident in getting help from others, be it professionals, other parents, or groups in my community.
I already receive some support, now I would seek further support if I need it. Improved confidence to ask for support.

Now I know how to deal with different friends and how to cope with my family.
Talking helps deal with things better for me. I am more in control of my current situation.
We really covered healthy relationships, which helped me view those in my life and make changes.
It helped me reflect on how I ask for support from my family without getting angry, communicate with my children without getting mad, and realise what a great relationship I have with my husband.

I can ask for help.
I am able to identify certain ongoing issues in my life.
This week really helped me to accept that at times I may need help and that it’s ok to ask. Also that maybe some of my self beliefs weren’t quite accurate.
I recognise what is causing my low self esteem. But still find it hard to ask for help, but am working towards it. I still don’t feel worthy of getting help as I feel there are people with maybe greater needs for help than my own.
I found this difficult as I have little confidence. This is work in progress which I’m doing and addressing issues. The session help me in identifying self belief.

I was happy with the health visitor, because I found out more about where I can get information and who can help me.
This week I felt was really rushed and we really didn’t manage to tackle everyone’s difficulties. I did find the information on other services to be incredibly helpful.
I feel I wouldn’t contact my own health visitor for help. The talk given by the professionals was helpful; I found out about lots of activities to get involved in with my children and will be seeking out these.
Good info about services and how they can help.

Definitely more in control of my life and how I deal with things. I have created a small action plan which will get bigger.
ABSOLUTELY!! Its made me see what I want in my life and what I’m capable of and given me the confidence to take the next step to do more to better myself and my future.
I am trying to take time out to reflect on my own well being. I know the changes I want to make and am feeling more confident in making changes and moving forward with my goals for my future. I’m I the process of making my own action plan.
Looking forward to changing my own self confidence.