One advantage is the low-threshold support that peer counselors can offer. They can compensate for the lack of resources available to social workers and specialised counselling centres Peer counseling can partially alleviate the burden of abuse and, for example, bridge waiting times for therapy appointments by providing everyday support. This can prevent mental illnesses from becoming chronic. Peer counselors who have themselves experienced exploitation have a different understanding of the situation of those affected, which leads to greater acceptance of the support. Proven coping strategies are shared, and advice is practical and usually implementable. Furthermore, peer counseling represents a form of empowerment. By becoming mentors, former victims experience a transformation and can experience self-efficacy. In addition, the experience and training as peer counselors can improve access to the job market and promote independence. Trauma-informed peer counseling is a valuable complement to psychosocial counseling and support in areas not covered by social work.

For peer projects to have a positive impact, they need adequate funding and staffing. Beyond ensuring sufficient resources are available for peer counseling, other challenges must be considered and weighed. A key problem is that peer counselors often lack the necessary professional training to work with, for example, severely traumatized individuals. Overburdening the counselors can therefore pose a real risk. In particular, if they themselves have experienced trauma, they can be triggered by the life experiences of their clients. Trafficking in Human Beings People from third countries are often under considerable psychological stress and are involved in complex legal proceedings, such as asylum or criminal proceedings, which require specialized support. Therefore, it is important to avoid overburdening peer advisors and to only assign them tasks for which they feel sufficiently stable and competent, and for which they have access to contact persons and support from the relevant authorities if needed. specialist counselling center to have.

It has proven helpful when peer counselors and peer clients speak a common language. This is not always the case simply because they come from the same region. Furthermore, a shared country of origin does not necessarily mean that people share ideas about, for example, equality, child-rearing, or political attitudes: "Culture cannot be understood as a uniform, unchanging entity that refers to a nation or religion, because a person's identity develops through the diverse experiences they have in their life" (See the position paper of the BAfF). 

Because peer advisors often take on diverse tasks, distinguishing them from other professional groups such as language and cultural mediators, social workers, or psychotherapists can be difficult. Peer advisors occupy a special role, but their function and responsibilities must be clearly defined to avoid overlaps as well as overwork. This requires a clear role description that outlines the framework and integration with other relevant services. specialist counselling center These details must be agreed upon, and a contract should be in place. Furthermore, the peer projects should be professionally guided, and there must be opportunities for exchange, further training, and supervision. Peer advisors should receive compensation for their time, as well as a company cell phone and reimbursement for expenses incurred in providing support (e.g., travel tickets, printing costs, etc.). 

Overall, peer counseling among those affected by Trafficking in Human Beings Peer support has great potential for supporting and empowering those affected, but it must be implemented carefully and with consideration for the aforementioned challenges. It is important to provide peer support workers with professional qualifications and training on topics such as trauma, data protection, and setting boundaries. Peer support workers offer support and guidance, and this type of support is... specialised counselling centres for those affected by Trafficking in Human Beings is being seriously considered and is in some specialised counselling centres already implemented. Within the framework of digital exchange meetings with representatives of the peer projects of the specialised counselling centres The participants shared their experiences, challenges encountered in peer work, and recommendations. The points described here are partly based on these exchange meetings. 

Some networked within the KOK specialised counselling centres have developed materials for implementing peer projects to help others specialised counselling centres to support the implementation of these:

Nadeschda Specialist Advisory Center: Experience report and recommendations for the training of everyday guides

Women's Information Center FIZ Stuttgart: Guidelines for a peer-to-peer project with refugee women* and other target groups

Medica Mondiale: Peer-to-Peer: Empowering refugee women* through group programs