Peers4Good
A peer-based support initiative to drive holistic outcomes for women exiting prison
About the Peers4Good Program
Peers4Good is a program that provides support for adult (18+) women exiting prison in South Australia to help them with the challenging transition from prison back into community.
Our innovative support model is underpinned by two key principles and practices:
Lived Experience Peer Support - our flexible support services are provided to participants by women who have lived experience of incarceration. These Peer Coordinators have lived the challenges of transitioning from prison back into community, and have navigated the maze of services and supports to help guide our participants through their own needs. Our Peer Coordinators are very passionate about using their lived experience to help other women to successfully rebuild their lives after incarceration.
Individualised planning - rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach, we base our support on the individual goals, needs and interests of the program participants that will give them the best chance of success. We have a funding allocation for each participant to develop an individualised support plan and package under which they can undertake a range of flexible programs, courses and activities which could include training and education for employment, social groups and activities, sports activities, art classes and much more.
One of our Peer Coordinators is of Aboriginal heritage, which has been an important factor in enabling us to provide culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal women who are overrepresented in our prisons.
We provide referrals to trusted partners and service providers for support needs outside the scope of our program, and we provide advocacy support to help participants navigate services.
We generally engage with participants while they are still incarcerated to establish the support relationship and post-release needs prior to release, and we are able to support participants for up to 6-months post-release, with support to transition out from the service towards the end of this period.
The Peers4Good program is funded until 30 June 2025 under the Australian Government Department of Social Services Strong and Resilient Communities – Inclusive Communities Grants Program.
How to get involved
To access the Peers4Good program, participants must meet the below eligibility criteria:
Identify as female or non-binary, and
Are 18 years or older, and
Have been incarcerated in Adelaide Women’s Prison within 6 months of referral (this includes those serving a sentence and those on remand for a period of at least two months).
First Nations women are a priority target group.
The majority of our referrals come from case managers and social workers from Adelaide Women’s Prison and the Pre-release Centre, however we also welcome referrals from those in the community who may have been released from prison without a referral but are needing some support, or from family/friends of women in prison who would like to make a referral on their behalf.
Our referral process is very simple - please email Collab4Good on hello@collab4good.com.au with the following details:
Full name
Date of Birth
DCS ID number (if applicable)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status
Approximate release date or if already released
Any other supporting information that we should be aware of
Name of referrer (if not self-referred)
Contact number/email for referrer (if not self-referred)
Once we receive a referral, we will make contact with the participant to talk through the Peers4Good program and undertake an initial assessment of needs to inform their individual activity plan and post-release support. Where possible we meet the participants in person either at Adelaide Women’s Prison through the professional visits system or in the community, but we have the flexibility to make contact by phone as well.
Due to the high demand, we may have some short waiting periods (~ 2-3 weeks), and we prioritise referrals based on need.
Outcomes achieved so far
The Peers4Good program commenced service delivery in December 2023. As of October 2024, we have supported 34 women to access the program with only four women returning to prison. This recidivism (return to prison) rate of 12% is well-below the general recidivism rate for women in South Australia which fluctuates between 30-40%, indicating the effectiveness of the Peers4Good program and our unique support approach. It is also worth noting that the women who were returned to prison were returned for breaching parole conditions, not due to reoffending - an important distinction to make.
Of these 34 women that we have supported, eight are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background, and only two of these women have returned to prison. The recidivism rate for Aboriginal women is consistently around 10% higher than for non-Aboriginal women.
Some of the outcomes that our participants have achieved so far include gaining training accreditations, gaining employment, getting drivers licenses, reengaging with family and children, and developing effective and healthy coping strategies.
“I couldn’t have made it this far without the Peers4Good program support, I have been connected to other support services that didn’t give me any kind of support to what Peers4Good offered during the time in my life that I needed it the most. Having someone to talk to with the lived experience helped me see that I can do better and people can turn their lives around. I have never felt as comfortable and supported as I have with the Peers4good program.” - Peers4Good participant
As well as the impact at the individual level, we have also had the opportunity leverage the Peers4Good program to advocate at the systems level to drive evidence, recognition and reforms around housing and lived experience workers at both state and federal government levels.
Announcement July 2023
It is with incredible excitement and much anticipation that we share that Collab4Good is one of the 32 grant recipients awarded a 2-year grant under the Australian Government Department of Social Services Strong and Resilient Communities – Inclusive Communities Grants Program.
The funding will enable a project that is very near to our hearts, and which takes us back to the very DNA of what Collab4Good was created for - to use the power of collaboration for good.
The Peers4Good program will support adult women (18+) exiting prison in South Australia, including First Nations women, who are at risk of isolation and/or discrimination, to re-engage and participate in their community and increase their sense of self agency and empowerment through peer support, coordination, and access to an individualised package of activities tailored to their specific needs.
We don't take this opportunity lightly and there is lots that we need to do to ensure the initiative is set up to support the best possible outcomes for all involved - most importantly for the women at the heart of the offering.
We see this as an incredible honour and collective impact opportunity where we can bring together lived experience, organisations, social enterprises and government agencies in a more coordinated approach to support better and more holistic outcomes for women exiting the prison system. In the coming months we will be reaching out to key stakeholders who have alignment with this purpose for 1-1 chats, ensuring we co-design the program WITH, not for, lived experience women, and running information sessions and co-design sessions with lived experience women, social enterprises and organisations who share our vision and would like to be contribute knowledge, services and activities towards this initiative over the next two-years. If this sounds like you, we welcome you to register your interest using this online form. The initiative will service Adelaide Metro (Southern, Western, Central and Northern).
For more information on the Inclusive Communities Grant announcement, see the media release by the Minister for Social Services The Hon. Amanda Rishworth MP.