UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: The Canadian Cancer Society has provided peer support for many years in many different ways, including group support. Currently, the Society delivers group support programs across the country for people living with cancer. However, the formats and models vary considerably, with little evidence of the most effective ways to provide these services. Because the Society is committed to providing evidence-based programs, a better practices review on group support programs was identified as a priority. The review's purpose was to identify key aspects of effective group support programs and develop guidelines to help plan an effective group support program.

Methods: Our approach integrated evidence from published research, expert opinion, current practices of the Society and other organizations, and client, volunteer and staff experiences. Specifically, we examined the benefits of group support, the issues and difficulties of offering group programs, the design factors impacting effectiveness, marketing practices, budget requirements and appropriate evaluation tools

Results: Based on the evidence collected, a Group Support Program Planning Workbook was developed to help guide the development of new programs and/or improve existing ones.

This presentation will provide a brief overview of the process used to transform existing knowledge and experience about group support programs into a decision-making tool for program planning. Highlights of our findings about effective group support programming, and our recommendations for future action will also be shared.