What is Compeer?

Compeer (companion+peer) is an award-winning volunteer program that uses the power of friendship to help people in mental health recovery live happier, more satisfying lives by reducing social isolation and increasing the likelihood of community integration. The Compeer program is a complement to traditional therapy.

Compeer recruits, screens and matches volunteers with people experiencing emotional issues or recovering from mental illness. A Compeer friendship can make a substantial improvement in a participant's self-worth, a key ingredient in bringing a person back into the mainstream of community life.

What is SouthCoast Compeer?

SouthCoast Compeer is a local affiliate of Compeer International. We are based at UMass Dartmouth and managed by an all-volunteer advisory board. Our chapter serves Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, and the surrounding towns.

Professsional Referrals

Compeer participants are referred by mental health professionals who are actively involved in their treatment. can be made by psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, rehabilitation counselors or other mental health professionals.

Ninety-two percent of clients and referring professionals and ninety-four percent of volunteers report satisfaction with the Compeer friendship. Compeer clients:

have better self-esteem and communications skills
are more receptive to medication and therapy
make less use of expensive inpatient and emergency services

Compeer staff recruit, train, match, and support volunteers. They are available to speak to church, civic and social organizations about Compeer. Southcoast Compeer can be reached by email at compeer@umassd.edu or by phone at 508.999.8843 or 508.542.0203.

How Can You Help?

Become a Volunteer! Join the Advisory Board! Make a Donation!

Without sensitive, caring volunteers and some financial assistance to recruit, train and match them with consumers, Compeer would not exist.

The Advisory Board raises funds, coordinates program publicity, assists in volunteer recruitment and training, sponsors volunteer appreciation events, and solicits access to free and low cost recreational and cultural events for Compeer pairs. To be an Advisory Board member you do not need a background in mental health - just enthusiasm and an interest in helping. We particularly need board members to recruit volunteers and who run fundraising events.

You can contribute to Compeer's mission by making a donation online through the UMass Dartmouth website. Be sure to specify where you want your donation to go (UMD SouthCoast Compeer) by using the drop down menu on the second page of the electronic form. If you would like to make a donation by mail, please fill out this form and mail it to the address specified on the form.

Students at UMass Dartmouth and Bristol Community College may receive academic credit for being Compeer volunteers. Psychology, social work, crime and justice, nursing, pre-med and pre-law students may find the Compeer experience professionally, as well as personally, valuable. The UMass Dartmouth nursing program and psychology department are offering the Compeer experience as a one-credit experiential course entitled "An Experiential Look at Mental Illness." Learn more about how to register for this course and its requirements.