Tips to consider before scheduling a meeting

Most of the services you’ll provide—whether it’s a support group or one-on-one coaching session—will take place through live video meetings. That means getting comfortable with creating and scheduling your own meetings is essential.

Before diving into the technical steps, take a moment to reflect on the kind of support you want to offer. The tips below can help guide your decision making and lay the groundwork for a smooth and supportive experience.

Lead with your experience and strengths

Think about the peer support interests you selected in your Connection Preferences. These should reflect what matters most to you and the types of support you’re inspired to offer. Choose one interest to start with and consider designing a recurring meeting around it—monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly.

For example, if you've chosen “Stress & Anxiety,” you might create a group focused on stress reduction and management strategies. Want to go deeper? You could tailor the meeting to a specific audience—like Stress Management for Mothers Working from Home—making it even more relevant and impactful.

Be clear about your meeting’s purpose

HeyPeers members are seeking meaningful, supportive experiences. The more clearly you define the intention, structure, and goals of your meeting, the easier it is for participants to understand what to expect—and how your session can help meet their needs. Clear descriptions build trust and make your offering more accessible.

Leverage certifications (if applicable)

If you're certified in peer support techniques or recovery protocols, consider designing meetings that showcase those approaches. For example, WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) offers a structured, proven framework for helping individuals develop personalized wellness strategies. Using WRAP or any other certification you hold will help you create sessions that guide participants through meaningful processes while staying grounded in your training and lived experience.

Bring in-person groups online

If you've led (or currently lead) face-to-face peer support groups, consider transitioning those experiences into virtual sessions. Doing so can make your meetings more accessible to individuals who face challenges attending in-person—whether it's due to location, time constraints, or personal responsibilities. Hosting online meetings lets members join from the comfort of their homes while giving you the opportunity to expand your reach far beyond your local community. You’re no longer limited to a regional audience—you’re opening the door to a global one.

Design the support you wish existed

Let your creativity lead the way. Think back to a time when you needed support: What kind of peer group would have helped you most? What overlooked topics or life experiences do you now feel equipped to address? Identifying those gaps is powerful. When you build meetings and coaching sessions rooted in your own journey, you’re not just supporting others—you’re creating offerings that feel energizing and meaningful to you as a Peer Supporter.

Create a central document for your meeting plans

One helpful strategy when planning meetings is to maintain a dedicated Word or Google Doc to store all your meeting descriptions. This gives you a clear space to shape your meeting purpose, refine the language, and correct any grammar or formatting issues along the way.

Keep in mind that most American adults read at a 7th–8th grade level. Writing with accessibility in mind ensures your descriptions resonate with a wide range of participants. Tools like Grammarly can help you stay within those readability guidelines while keeping your tone clear and empathetic.

This document will also save you time when scheduling recurring meetings on HeyPeers—just copy and paste the information as needed. Here’s what we recommend including: