Today was a win for PST! I was able to get a time for our first meeting since I took over as CEO of Peer Success Mentoring Team and I have so much to explain and go over with our group.
Our group has suffered a lack of support from key staff members due to misrepresentation of what our group is all about. Singleton, which is the new Creative Director of PST, serve as a good team because we both share a passion about the program and all the good it can bring to this community here at Aliceville. We are both working fast and hard at building the program back up from the bottom. We feel this is necessary because:
1- The staff needs to know that members are walking the walk and on the up and up.
2 – Implementing hard rules for the next 6 months to stop bad behaviors and removing problematic people form the group
3 – bring back the REAL REASON Blair brought this program to us in the first place: Out of Compassion and love for fellow AIc’s
4 – We need to build back the trust of the AIC and Staff Community here at Aliceville by showing others that with the Peer Success Mentor program – we are dedicated, compassionate, that WE BELIEVE what we are doing with our hearts.
5 – Doing what we say and how we say we are going to do it. Our Word is everything. We will STAND on what we represent.
With our meeting on THIS THURSDAY!! (WIN) we are going to ask some hard questions form our Think Tank members (our Collective) and with that will ask to comply to rules existing and new rules being implemented. Anyone not wishing to participate may step down with a pre-printed RESIGNATION Form. We are asking UNIT LEADERS to Clean UP their unit and remove Mentors that are not and not willing to comply. We will not tolerate drugs – doing or selling, behaviors that send members to the cool down room for suspected drug use (immediate removal). Any leader that is not doing anything about this, will be subject to removal as well as the mentor is question. No shots of any kind are accepted, no going to the SHU with no shots (immediate removal). All can re-apply after 1 year. These are some of the basic rules we are implementing so this will be a hard meeting for some of them.
Representation to me is important because if I am putting my name on this program, I expect the members to represent the program as I am. I need their support in this as I know that we are all not perfect, I expect some bumps in the road, but with our Collective, we can make this work! I really believe in this program and my heart is fully in it as are my choices in life from here forward. I want to represent this program with the dignity and respect it deserves and take it to the next level. I will walk the walk with what I talk!
I would like to acknowledge the members that have been with us since the beginning and have stuck it out like myself. Thank you for your support and relentless work you have put in! You are very appreciated and I thank you wholeheartedly.
Celeste Blair – Thank you for bringing this program to Aliceville. You have really made a difference and I appreciate you helping not only our community, but me as well with myself. You are most Appreciated:)
With this, I will close and say that I have been with this Peer Success Team since Blair Started it here at Aliceville. It has seen Highs and Lows, but together as a group we can make this program everything it was set out to be.
Compassion, Respect, confidentiality, informative, and supporting our 8 dimension wellness wheel.
Thank you to everyone at the Peer Support Team and all the staff and my supporters on the outside – I appreciate everything you do!
Catherina Voss
CEO Peer Support Team 5/5/2025
