’Peers are Bridge Builders’ with Mat Southwell

In this episode of Drugs Uncut, SDF’s Wez Steele is joined by Mat Southwell, Project Co-ordinator at EuroNPUD.

Mat and Wez discuss the key role peers have in the development of policy and practice as well as the effective delivery of services. They also discuss the uniquely British division between harm reduction advocacy and recovery when the community’s diverse experiences and perspectives are most impactful when peers work together.

Mat provides international and UK examples of good practice in involving and compensating peers, and describes the good practice guide to employing people who use drugs  which he created for The International HIV/AIDS Alliance in 2015.

Finally, Mat and Wez discuss Mat’s involvement in research and the distribution of crack pipes in England, how peers are involved and what Scotland can learn.