Facilitator Support Systems

What Is a Support System?

A support system is a network of people who are close to you that you can call for help when you need it. People that are in your support system provide understanding, honest feedback, encouragement, support, and assistance.

Informal supports are the relationships that occur in everyday life. This can include family members, friends, neighbours, and co-workers.

Formal supports usually involve some form of payment for services and may include relationships with service providers, such as counsellors, therapists, front line staff, and care managers.

Why Is a Support System Important?

A solid support system can make a big difference in your life. Having supports means you will be happier, healthier and more fulfilled. Studies have shown that individuals with a greater diversity of relationships and/or involvement in a broad range of social activities have healthier lives and live longer than those who lack such supports. Unfortunately, according to research, people with mental illnesses may have social networks half the size of the networks among the general population.ⁱ

A solid support network is very important in your life in general. A support system when you are a facilitator is particularly helpful for sustaining you as you lead your girls’ group. It is important to acknowledge that the work we do is not always easy and that we need opportunities to talk about our own feelings, frustrations, and dilemmas of working towards social justice with girls.

It is a good idea to ask for either informal or formal support; it will help strengthen your practice and is an important part of self-care. Acknowledging the importance of support systems can also model healthy behaviour, such as taking care of yourself, for the girls in your group.

Formal supports can be especially important for providing confidential and impartial advice. It is important to seek out formal supports who have an understanding and background in working from an anti-oppression framework and who have lots of practice in dealing with situations that arise in our type of work. Even if you are not currently calling on any formal supports, it is a good idea to look for support systems that meet your needs and the needs of the girls in your group as a back-up for when you, your co-facilitator or one of the girls in your group needs a referral.

Where to Look When Building Your Support System

Informal Support

• Friends you already have

• People you meet through your work as a girls’ program facilitator.For more information on building Allies, see Why Are Allies Important? in Section 1.

• Family members

• Neighbours

• People you meet through community activities and projects

• People you meet through joining groups and clubs

• People you meet through volunteering

Formal Support

• Girls Action networks

• Counsellors who offer one on one counselling and/or support groups

• Medical practitioners

• Life coachesⁱⁱ