What we do:

WayfinderWoman provides a peer support service, using lived experience-led sessions for women in Eastbourne navigating life’s challenges.

Whether through one-to-one sessions or group spaces, our service provides time, understanding, and practical support to help women feel supported, connected, and that they belong.

Peer support is a supported self-management approach that brings women together through shared lived experience. It is rooted in empathy, mutual understanding, and the belief that no one should have to navigate life’s challenges alone.

Unlike clinical or therapeutic services, peer support is non-judgemental, non-clinical, and holistic. It focuses on the whole person — recognising that wellbeing is shaped not only by mental and physical health, but by social, emotional, practical, and environmental factors.

Housing instability, caring responsibilities, financial stress, work confidence, loneliness, and life transitions can all impact how we feel and function day to day.

Peer support creates safe, relational spaces where women can speak openly, feel heard, and be accepted as they are. It is not about diagnosis or treatment. Instead, it centres listening, reflection, shared understanding, and gentle exploration of next steps. Support is shaped around what matters most to each individual, helping to build confidence, strengthen self-efficacy, and reduce isolation.

One-to-One Peer Support

One-to-one peer support offers a calm, confidential space for women to talk through what they are experiencing. Sessions are delivered by trained Peer Supporters with lived experience, who listen with empathy and without judgement.

Each session lasts around 60 minutes and is shaped by the woman’s priorities at that time. Support may include:

  • emotional validation and space to reflect

  • exploring challenges and identifying what feels most pressing

  • building confidence and clarifying goals

  • practical problem-solving and exploring options

  • supported signposting or taking next steps together

Sessions are structured but flexible, typically offered weekly or fortnightly for a short, time-limited period. This helps ensure support remains preventative and empowering, rather than fostering dependency.

Women are matched, where possible, with Peer Supporters whose lived experience or background feels relevant to their situation, helping to build trust and relatability. Choice, consent, and pace are central to the experience.

One-to-one peer support can be especially helpful for women who:

  • feel overwhelmed, lost or unsure where to start

  • lack confidence navigating services or systems

  • have had difficult past experiences with support

  • are experiencing social or emotional challenges that sit below clinical thresholds but still significantly impact wellbeing

The aim is not to “fix” but to walk alongside — supporting women to feel heard, more confident, and better equipped to navigate their circumstances.

Group Peer Support

Group peer support offers a welcoming, gently facilitated space where women can connect with others who understand. Groups are led by trained Peer Supporters and are grounded in shared experience, mutual respect, and inclusion.

The group environment is flexible and responsive. Women can take part in ways that feel comfortable to them — whether that means sharing openly, listening quietly, engaging in optional activities, or simply being present. There is no pressure to speak or participate in any particular way.

Group sessions may include:

  • facilitated conversation around shared themes

  • reflection and discussion

  • optional creative or grounding activities

  • space to explore practical next steps

  • informal connection over tea and conversation

Group peer support can reduce isolation and help women realise they are not alone in what they are facing. Hearing others’ experiences can normalise challenges, spark new perspectives, and build a sense of belonging.

As the service develops, themed or specialist groups may be introduced in response to emerging needs and participant feedback, ensuring the offer remains responsive and relevant.

Join the Community

Volunteer - Donate - Advocate

01323 886171
info@wayfinderwoman.org.uk

Suite 2, Highlight House
8 St. Leonard's Road
Eastbourne
BN21 3UH

Registered charity number: 1175486

01323 886171
info@wayfinderwoman.org.uk

Suite 2, Highlight House
8 St. Leonard's Road
Eastbourne
BN21 3UH

Registered charity number: 1175486