Peer Support Workers as Equal Team Members. A Case Study of Peer Support in Glasgow Housing First.

The article examines the role of peer support workers (PSWs) within the Glasgow Housing First (HF) project, a social innovation aimed at ending chronic homelessness by providing stable housing alongside support services. Through an instrumental case study involving interviews, observations, and document analysis, the research highlights that PSWs—individuals with lived experience of homelessness and addiction—are regarded as equal and trusted team members who build healing, non-judgmental relationships with service users (SUs), facilitating engagement and tenancy sustainment. The study identifies organizational, team, and individual conditions necessary for effective peer involvement, including defined job roles, adequate pay, mentorship, and self-care support, while also addressing challenges such as maintaining personal boundaries and fulfilling administrative duties. Overall, peer support in the Glasgow HF project contributed to outcomes such as sustained tenancies, reduced homelessness duration, and graduation from the program, emphasizing the importance of fully integrating PSWs within HF teams.