In recent years, conversations around children’s mental health have become more urgent—and more public.
With rising rates of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress among young people, families, educators, and mental health professionals alike are seeking ways to build resilience and promote well-being from an early age. While therapy, family involvement, and school-based programs all play vital roles, two often underestimated but profoundly effective approaches are peer support and peer mentorship.
Why Peer Support Matters
Children, adolescents, and young adults naturally look to their peers for social cues, approval, and companionship. As they navigate the challenges of growing up—whether it’s dealing with academic pressure, identity formation, bullying, difficult experiences, or family stress—peers often become their first line of emotional support. Unlike adults, peers are embedded in the same social world and can often validate each other’s experiences in ways that feel more authentic and less judgmental. And as children age, the importance of peers in one’s life only grows. For example, a study conducted in 2021 by an international team of child development specialists throughout the USA and Europe found that throughout all ages, peer endorsement of specific behavior or attitudes has a significant effect on predicting children’s and adolescents own behavior and attitudes,* and another study has shown peer relationships to be positively This suggests that peers and one’s social environment can be powerful tools to help children and navigate social and emotional problems.
Research consistently shows that peer support reduces feelings of isolation, normalizes mental health struggles, and encourages help-seeking behavior. When a young person hears “me too” from a friend or older mentor, they feel less alone and more hopeful. Simply knowing that someone their own age has gone through similar challenges can be profoundly healing. In fact, studies have consistently found that peer support programs that provide structured friend and peer-based programs (such as peer clubs, community organizations, etc…) have been found to decrease symptoms of depression in children (and adults!) of all ages.**
What Peer Support Programs Look Like
Peer support is a slightly different kind of intervention than other mental health treatment. Peer support is structured, like therapy, but instead of support and assistance being administered by a trained mental healthcare provider, the intervention comes from the relationship the child or adolescent develops with the peers in the program, many of whom have gone through similar situations or experiences. Peer support offers the opportunity for the child or adolescent to develop supportive, friendly relationships with individuals their own age, decrease feelings of isolation, and develop more supportive social networks.
The Role of Peer Mentorship
While peer support is often informal and spontaneous, peer mentorship involves structured relationships in which slightly older or more experienced children offer guidance to younger peers. This model, when implemented thoughtfully in schools, community centers, or youth programs, can have lasting benefits for both mentors and mentees. Peer mentorship has been found to increase positive wellbeing and positive emotional functioning, as well as self-esteem for youth. Additionally, peer mentorship has been found to have a negative (decreasing) effect on negative emotional expressions and internalizing behavior (anxiety, depression social withdrawal, etc…).***
For the mentees, peer mentorship:
• Builds emotional safety and trust.
• Enhances problem-solving skills by modeling adaptive coping.
• Encourages open communication and de-stigmatizes mental health topics.
• Helps younger children develop identity and self-esteem through connection and validation.
For the mentors, it offers a chance to:
• Strengthen leadership and empathy skills.
• Gain a sense of purpose and pride in helping others.
• Reflect on their own experiences and mental health journey, which can be healing in itself.
What Makes a Good Peer Support/Mentorship Program?
Effective peer support and mentorship programs don’t simply ask students to “be there” for one another. They require structure, training, and support. Schools and community leaders should:
• Offer training in active listening, confidentiality, and empathy.
• Provide adult supervision and backup for when serious issues arise.
• Build inclusivity into the design—making sure mentors reflect diverse backgrounds and identities.
• Evaluate and adapt the program regularly to meet the evolving needs of youth.
Benefits for the Whole Community
Peer-led mental health initiatives also create more compassionate school and community cultures. Programs like peer mediation, mental health ambassadors, or buddy systems foster a sense of belonging and inclusion. This climate of mutual respect not only prevents bullying and exclusion but also reduces the stigma around discussing mental health.
Moreover, when schools or youth organizations invest in peer mentorship programs, they promote early identification of struggling youth. Peers are often the first to notice when something seems “off,” and a trained peer mentor may be more likely to reach out or encourage someone to seek help than an adult authority figure.
Empowering Youth to Help Each Other
Ultimately, peer support and mentorship remind us of an important truth: children and adolescents are not just passive recipients of care—they are also agents of change and healing. When given the tools, encouragement, and space to support each other, young people rise to the challenge with creativity, compassion, and courage.
Where to Find Peer Support in NYC:
• University Settlement-A nonprofit that provides peer support for both youth and families going through difficulty social, legal, medical, or mental health challenges
o https://www.universitysettlement.org/programs/mental-health-wellness/family-youth-peer-support/
• National Alliance of Mental Illness (NYC Chapter) Teen Support Group- A support group for teens struggling with mental health
o https://naminycmetro.org/programs/teen-support-group/
• Riseboro Community Partnership (Brooklyn)-A youth mentorship program for boys, girls, and at-risk teens.
o https://riseboro.org/program/youth-mentorship/
As we strive to build a future where every child feels seen, supported, and resilient, we must not overlook the power of peer connection. After all, sometimes the most healing words a child can hear aren’t from a professional or a parent, but from a peer who simply says, “I get it—I’ve been there too.”
*Giletta, M., Choukas-Bradley, S., Maes, M., Linthicum, K. P., Card, N. A., & Prinstein, M. J. (2021). A meta-analysis of longitudinal peer influence effects in childhood and adolescence. Psychological bulletin, 147(7), 719.
** Manchanda, T., Stein, A., & Fazel, M. (2023). Investigating the role of friendship interventions on the mental health outcomes of adolescents: a scoping review of range and a systematic review of effectiveness. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(3), 2160.
***Claro, A., & Perelmiter, T. (2022). The effects of mentoring programs on emotional well-being in youth: A meta-analysis. Contemporary School Psychology, 26(4), 545-557.