Circles of Resilience (CR) is built on the feedback RC has received directly from our RC peer community, as well as responses from youth peer support surveys and focus group discussions that RC conducted in 2021. We wanted to create a peer support group that not just serves as a safe space for peers to form resilient and supportive relationships, but one that empowers peers to support and uplift other peers, where we collectively grow our community together.

If you are unsure if the Circle of Resilience could be that safe space for you, you may join the Circle of Resilience as a visitor for up to 3 sessions. Feel free to speak to the RC coordinating staff or even the Circle of Resilience members about the concerns you have with regards to becoming a member of the Circle. After the 3 sessions, we will confirm with you should you wish to continue your journey with the Circle as a member.

Members are mostly grouped according to age ranges (i.e. 18 – 24; 25 – 35). This allows members to meet others who are experiencing similar situations within their life stage, and facilitate the discussion of lived experiences that are more relatable.

Yes, new members and visitors will be screened first based on their responses submitted in the registration form. The questions allow RC staff to better understand the needs of interested individuals, before they are formally assigned to a CR group. Our utmost priority is to ensure that incoming members will be able to honour and contribute to the psychological safety present in the Circles.

We will not be disclosing who are in the Circles prior to any new members joining, to protect confidentiality and identity of the members

After being starved of face-to-face contact during pandemic phases, RC wishes to provide opportunities for our Circle members to meet one another in-person. Showing up and interacting physically encourages a level of vulnerability and authenticity, and commitment to the group, that is core to building a safe space in the Circles of Resilience. Should you like to join the Circles but are not ready to meet the members in-person, feel free to speak with an RC staff who can work with you on how you can ease yourself into the sessions.

For now, the sessions are conducted in person within the premises of JustCo @ The Centrepoint where the RC office is also located.

There is no minimum commitment for members, as Resilience Collective and the CR groups recognise that recovery is not time-limited. We do however encourage members to proactively receive support, and also show up for your fellow CR members, by attending the sessions. To facilitate this, dates and times for CR sessions are shared ahead of time. Do save them in your calendars!

While one of the purposes of CR sessions is for members to discuss and learn about mental health topics that we can best relate to, another purpose is also to show up for your fellow members. Each member’s insights and encouragement adds to the collective wisdom and impact of the group, and builds on our joint commitment to each other.

Definitely! Circle sessions begin with a check-in, open for any member to share personal experiences or concerns unrelated to the topic for the session. CR members can also suggest topics to their group, for discussion at the next session.

Preserving each member’s sense of safety within their group is crucial to the success of the Circles of Resilience. Should a member experience concerns in this area, they can approach any RC staff, who will seek to understand the situation better, and support her/him towards a safe resolution.

Preserving each member’s sense of safety within their group is crucial to the success of the Circles of Resilience. Should a member experience concerns in this area, they can approach any RC staff, who will seek to understand the situation better, and support her/him towards a safe resolution.

While RC is committed to the experience of psychological safety for each CR member, we are also mindful to avoid or minimise potential crosssharing of confidential details, and the disruption of group dynamics that can occur in the transition to another CR group. Should any member experience such discomfort, they can approach any RC staff who will seek to understand the situation better, and support her/him towards a safe resolution.

We have an RC staff on duty who will be present with you when you are feeling distressed. We will invite you to a safe room – a breakout room or a separate room on site – where you can have the time and space to experience your thoughts and feelings safely. When you are ready, we will also be there to process the situation with you and ensure that you have a safety plan before you leave our session or premises.

As part of being inducted into the peer support sessions, participants and members are reminded to observe our Community Agreement C.A.R.E.S. which includes our stance on confidentiality. To protect the safe space, participants and members are disallowed from sharing private and identifiable details from the peer support sessions to anyone outside the group, without the informed consent of the person being spoken about. Should confidentiality be broken and raised to the knowledge of staff, RC will initiate reconciliatory meetings for relevant parties to address the issue.

RC has a Community Agreement C.A.R.E.S. that was co-produced with community members, which elaborates on how our peers can show up for one another in a respectful and sincere manner.