🟢 Start Here
How it started
In 2015, another non-profit, Beneath The Skin (BTS) was created by Brittany Mullins. She developed an organization that provided genuine human connection, initially to young women who feel alone, through a unique peer-mentoring program.
In 2023, Heartsupport and BTS had the opportunity to start collaborating together to keep on going with the brilliant work that was initiated by Brittany. After a time to transition and update the program, BTS x Heartsupport was born!
The Mission
We know feeling alone with our mental health struggles can make life infinitely harder. The BTS program aims to support people who need a little extra support in life by connecting them with a peer mentor who will:
Deeply listen to them
Understand how they feel and what they are going through
Unconditionally accept and believes in them
Help them see the positive in themselves and their inner resources
BTS is:
1) A peer support resource
Life challenges can make us feel alone, isolated and hopeless. Having a friend by our side, someone safe and reliable that we know we can reach out to, can make a world of difference.
2) A place to grow together
Mentees involved in the program learn to know their Peer Mentor, to feel comfortable sharing about their life and story, and express how much these interactions positively impact them.
3) A resource to help people feel more confident and hopeful
Peer Mentors are matched with a Mentee who has a unique story to tell and is facing unique life challenges. By being present and listening, they will help them become more confident both through good and bad days.
BTS is not:
1) A crisis line
If the situation requires it, Peer Mentors and MEAs will always refer and defer to crisis helplines and professional services in order to prioritize Mentees emotional or physical safety.
2) A replacement of therapy
Peer support is a type of intervention that offers a lot of benefits and can be a complement to therapy, but it is not a substitute. Mentors and MEAs are volunteers who offer their time and care. They are not mental health experts and will not diagnose or encourage self-diagnosis.
3) A place to tell people what to do with their life
Peer Mentors are not there to "fix" people or to provide life coaching. They must respect their Mentee’s personal agency, their ability to make decisions for themselves and to develop personal resources.
Behind The Scenes
Your MEA: an essential ally
Match Experience Ambassadors (“MEA”) are volunteers who applied to support both Mentors and Mentees during their year of mentoring. Their primary goal is to support the well functioning and growth of the matches (Mentee+Mentor) they are connected with. They will encourage you to keep momentum and be a friend when your match is struggling.
Your MEA will be your very first contact person in case you need support or encouragement regarding your relationship with your Mentee. In practice, they will listen to you, help answer questions and celebrate your growth with you.
If you struggle meeting with your Mentee because they cancel repeatedly, if they don’t respond to you, if you feel like there are unsaid tensions between you and them, if you doubt about your capacities as a Mentor or if you feel overwhelmed — you will be safe bringing it up to your MEA and talking about it.