Abt Associates/Workforce Learning Strategies 1 

WORKING DRAFT 

NATIONAL EMERGENCY GRANT PROMISING PRACTICES SERIES:

PEER SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT STRENGTHEN OUTREACH AND PARTICIPATION

PREPARED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BY:

ABT ASSOCIATES INC.    WORKFORCE LEARNING STRATEGIES

55 WHEELER STREET    5 TENNEY STREET

CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138   CAMBRIDGE, MA 02140

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY GRANT PROMISING PRACTICES SERIES 

States and local areas that administer National Emergency Grants (NEGs) have developed a

growing body of expertise in the effective management of these grants.  The National

Emergency Grant Promising Practices Series is a compilation of ten documents whose purpose

is to highlight and share some exemplary approaches that were instrumental in preparing

for, planning, and implementing a NEG.  The intent of disseminating these effective

methodologies on a broad, national level is to facilitate the continuous improvement of NEG

project operations and to promote peer‐to‐peer information‐sharing among practitioners.  

The information presented in the NEG Promising Practices Series was gleaned from a study,

which focused on the in‐depth review of fifteen NEG projects that varied in type, size, and

scope.  Collectively, these projects represent an investment of $282,377,589 made by the

Department of Labor (DOL) that helped states assist dislocated workers obtain

reemployment in the aftermath of a large layoff or disaster‐related event.  The insights

shared by these grantees were synthesized for dissemination, resulting in a set of promising

practices that build upon four broad themes:

Infrastructure and Readiness.  How grantees have organized state and local

delivery systems to ensure effective and efficient use of NEG resources;

Planning and Start‐Up.  How grantees have mobilized key resources and

stakeholders to facilitate effective grant planning and implementation;

Program Design and Implementation.  What specific interventions and services have

been implemented to support the unique reemployment needs of dislocated

workers; and

Institutional Results.  How NEG investments have directly or indirectly resulted

in an enhanced capacity to respond to unexpected economic events.  

Listed below are the ten documents, which comprise the National Emergency Grant Promising

Practices Series.  Each review addresses a specific area of NEG management and has been

written to emphasize the specific planning, design, and operational decisions that

contributed to successful retraining and reemployment strategies.   

Working Across Boundaries in Planning a Regional NEG Response

Expanding NEG Training Capacity Through Partnerships with Community Colleges

Aligning NEG Strategies with High Growth Sectors and Occupations

Peer Support Systems that Strengthen Outreach and Participation

Preparing for the Unexpected in Disaster Grants

Establishing and Managing a Temporary Jobs Program

Implementing Transition Teams to Lead the Dislocation Response

Partnering with Organized Labor to Support Reemployment

Coordinating Resources to Meet the Reemployment Challenge

Using Data Strategically to Align Job Seekers and Occupational Demand

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PREVIEW 

This NEG promising practice review explains the effective use of peer support to assist

dislocated workers as they transition from sudden job loss to the active pursuit of upgraded

skills, advanced education, and ultimately new employment opportunities.  Peer support

workers, who are individuals hired directly from the workforce that was impacted by job

loss, can positively impact assessment and enrollment efforts during the start‐up phase of a

NEG as well as in designing service strategies.  These individuals can help to improve other

dislocated workers’ awareness of workforce program services and available benefits as well

as serve as a critical intermediary between affected workers and other workforce program

staff.  As members of the affected workforce

themselves, the peer support workers have firsthand

knowledge of the culture and characteristics of the

impacted group of employees, better enabling them

to recruit participants into the NEG project and to

determine what NEG services may be appropriate

for these individuals.  Promising practices in peer

support enhance the effectiveness of a NEG project,

contributing to the following broad dimensions:

Peer support workers are 

individuals hired from the 

affected workforce who 

provide outreach, 

information, and referral 

assistance to fellow workers 

as part of a dislocation 

response effort. 

Infrastructure and Readiness.  State infrastructure on peer support helps local areas

prepare and respond to large layoffs and implement NEGs.  State policies,

dedicated Rapid Response funds, and how‐to‐handbooks provide guidance and

financial assistance for temporarily increasing service capacity and strengthening

communications with the dislocated workforce.

Planning and Start‐up.  Peer support workers help to identify important

characteristics of the dislocated workforce including the need for services and

training that might not otherwise be discovered.  This informs and improves the

planning for the NEG project.  Additionally, peer support workers have close

relationships with the dislocated workers, which strengthen outreach and

participation.  

Design and Implementation.  After grant receipt, peer support staff increase

dislocated workers’ awareness of NEG resources and address their questions and

concerns about program activities.  This creates informed choices about training,

education, and reemployment options and improves retention in program

services.  

Results.  Peer support workers assist dislocated workers in making informed

choices about training, education, and other reemployment services.  

Additionally, they provide support and encouragement for their colleagues to

stick with their services options.   

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This blueprint references the insights gleaned from four exemplary NEG projects to

demonstrate the varied approaches to developing practice and policy around the use of peer

support systems.  While these projects vary greatly in size and structure, advantages of

using peer support workers in NEG implementation remain constant.  Peer support workers

can provide critical outreach to their colleagues when the economic and emotional impacts

of job loss can be overwhelming, providing support by:

Offering a “familiar face” to the response effort and a tangible sense of ongoing

community;  

Demonstrating credibility through their understanding of the affected company’s

culture and work environment; and

Linking dislocated workers to services available through NEGs and other

workforce services.

The unique and critical outreach that peer support teams provide can also result in effective

NEG implementation and management, resulting in:

Increased NEG enrollment and participation, stemming from the prior working

relationships that the peer support workers have with the affected workforce;

and

Effective matching of worker needs to the appropriate programs and services,

enhanced by peer support workers’ firsthand knowledge of workforce culture

and characteristics.

Learning from NEG Grantees: The peer support teams of the four NEG projects listed

below have effectively integrated these outreach, communication, and personal support

functions:  

North Carolina.  The 2003 closing of Pillowtex, Inc., in Kannapolis involved the loss

of 4,800 jobs in a “company town.”  This represented the largest single closure ever

to occur in the State of North Carolina and the largest single textile closure in the

country.  The union that represented this workforce, the Union of Needletrades,

Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE), helped to hire former Pillowtex

employees on a short‐term basis as peer support workers.  This proved to be an

important component of the response to this closing.  NEG Award Amount:  

$20,655,048.

Maine.  The shutdown of Great Northern Paper’s two mills in 2003 had a

devastating impact on the rural communities of Millinocket and East Millinocket,

affecting a total of 1,100 workers.  Great Northern Paper employed generations of

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area residents directly out of high school, forcing many workers affected by the

closing to seek employment outside of the local labor market for the first time.  In

Maine, State law supports the Maine Department of Labor in hiring peer support

workers from the affected workforce for all layoffs involving more than 100 workers.  

Under this provision, eight peer support workers were hired at the onset of the

project.  NEG Award Amount:  $9,298,121.

Oregon.  In January 2005, the Amalgamated Sugar Company announced that it

would no longer be processing sugar beets at its plant in Nyssa, resulting in the loss

of 160 jobs.  Oregon State policy provides Rapid Response funds for the hiring and

training of peer support advocates.  Two individuals were hired to assist affected

workers.  NEG Award Amount:  $540,816.

Oregon.  In 2005, Hewlett‐Packard (HP) laid off approximately 500 workers involved

in the manufacturing of inkjet printers at its facility in Corvallis.  Under the State’s

Rapid Response provision, one peer support worker was hired from the HP ranks

whose experience and skills matched the technological backgrounds of those who

were laid off.  NEG Award Amount:  $1,302,337.

The experience of these grantees offers several promising practices that may help in the

development of a successful peer support system.  This blueprint will provide an overview

of these promising practices related to defining the roles and responsibilities of peer support

staff, recruiting and hiring peer support workers, deploying peer support staff to the

affected workforce, and providing supervision and training to peer support workers.  

DEFINING ROLES AND JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

Establishing a peer support system for a large‐scale dislocation starts with defining the role

that these workers will play as part of the overall staffing effort.  Peer support workers have

historically performed an array of possible activities, but in general they are responsible for

outreach, information dissemination, and referral

activities during the start‐up phase of a response.  

While they share this core mission, it is also critical to

customize the role of peer support workers to reflect

the:  

Generally, peer support 

workers are responsible for 

outreach, information 

dissemination, and referral 

activities during the startup phase of a response. 

Scale and timing of the dislocation event;

Number and availability of professional staff;

Needs and backgrounds of the affected workforce; and

Amount and type of information to be disseminated.

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Maine—Lessons from Great Northern Paper:  The Great Northern Paper layoff created an

unprecedented need for support resources in its small community.  This layoff began at the

start of the protracted Maine winter, and the sheer size of the event had a tremendous

impact on the local economy.  Project staff described the small workforce support center

being filled with workers each day, waiting patiently in long lines for an opportunity to

discuss their personal situations with a staff person.  Peer support workers in this setting

were immediately needed to help “triage” the large volume of clients in need of

reemployment services.  To effectively deal

with the crowds of workers seeking

assistance, eight peer support workers met

with displaced workers in brief fifteen‐

minute slots, listened to their concerns, and

made an initial referrals plan.  This typically

included referrals to training and

employment services provided through the

NEG as well as One‐Stop Career Center

partners that provide health, financial, and

social services.  

Oregon—Lessons from Hewlett‐Packard:  In

contrast to the immediacy and scale of Great

Northern Paper’s highly publicized plant

shutdowns, Hewlett‐Packard’s layoffs were

staggered, and the timing was uncertain.  It

was therefore critical to identify a peer

support worker who was well‐versed in HP

communication technologies and culture.  

The nature of the layoff required a more

deliberate and specialized approach to

reaching employees impacted by the layoffs.  

The peer support worker was proactive in

her communication approach, responding to

dislocated workers’ blogs and meeting with

small groups of individuals to gather

information for those providing services as

well as to inform dislocated workers of

services available through the NEG.

 Advising workers on how to 

access services 

 Helping overcome worker 

resistance to retraining, 

career transition, and 

reemployment activities 

 Advocating for workers 

 Assisting in the development 

of training plans.

 Performing outreach to 

fellow workers 

 Providing dislocated workers 

with access to accurate and 

current information on 

program services and 

available benefits 

 Serving as an intermediary 

between the workers and 

workforce program staff 

 Assisting program staff in 

understanding the jobs, 

work environment, and 

culture of the affected 

company 

Roles & Responsibilities of 

Peer Support Workers 

North Carolina—Lessons from Pillowtex:  The roles of peer support workers may be well‐

defined from the outset, but they may also change over the life of an emergency response.  

The Pillowtex NEG demonstrates the importance of consistently monitoring the immediate

and prospective needs of the workforce and ensuring that the roles of peer support workers

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are flexibly defined.  Given the complexities that resulted from changing Trade Adjustment

Assistance (TAA) program regulations, the first priority of the peer support workers

responding to the Pillowtex dislocation was to inform workers about the latest TAA

program benefits.  An extensive outreach effort was done via phone, using a phone tree

established to reach all affected workers.  The aim was to provide consistent, accurate

information on benefits while minimizing the spread of “misinformation” and rumor.   

Upon completion of this communication task, the emphasis shifted to the design of TAA

and NEG reemployment services and the outreach to and enrollment of workers.  To

facilitate this phase, a peer support worker with a Pillowtex Human Resources background

was hired to provide direct peer counseling and to serve as a knowledgeable company

“intermediary” for program staff and workers.  As a result of the large‐scale dislocation, the

State of North Carolina had leveraged resources from local workforce boards from around

the State, and many of the project staff members were brought in from outside the area.  In

this situation, the peer worker was able to provide a consistent link for workers in accessing

the available resources as well as providing workforce agencies with information about the

workforce.  This role aided in developing more customized NEG training, which in turn

provided the basis for encouraging dislocated workers to seek out and enroll in services.

RECRUITING AND HIRING PEER SUPPORT WORKERS 

Grantees who are expert in establishing and implementing peer support systems widely

agree that hiring the right individuals is critical to the success of a peer support system.  

Identifying prospective candidates can be challenging, but the grantees showcased in this

blueprint relied on two important channels, organized labor and Rapid Response, that

proved effective.  This section describes how to recruit peer support workers and also

describes hiring vehicles and compensation policies.

Organized Labor:  Organized labor played a pivotal role in recruiting peer support workers

at Pillowtex and Great Northern Paper.  In the case of Pillowtex, UNITE represented

workers at the plant, and its leadership was able to quickly identify individuals who were

both well‐known among the affected

workforce and who had the experience and

temperament to provide information and

referrals to peers.  At Great Northern Paper,

recruitment was coordinated by the

American Federation of Labor and Congress

of Industrial Organizations (AFL‐CIO)

Dislocated Worker Program, which has

statutory statewide authority in Maine to

manage peer support initiatives for layoffs

of more than 50 workers.  Maine’s Peer

“Look for someone who has 

credibility, someone people are 

willing to trust. Someone who has 

been at the company for a while, 

has been able to make friends, and 

has an understanding of Human 

Resources.” 

– Hewlett-Packard, Peer Support Worker

Oregon’s Advice on Identifying 

Peer Support Workers 

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Support Worker Program is well established and has dedicated staff to manage the

recruitment and hiring of peer workers.  In the case of the Great Northern Paper dislocation,

twelve different unions were involved, and the AFL‐CIO contacted each union’s leadership

to identify individuals who met the criteria for the position and encouraged them to apply.  

The AFL‐CIO also posted the available position through the local One‐Stop Career Center.

Rapid Response:  In Oregon, recruitment for peer support workers, particularly at

Amalgamated Sugar, was facilitated by the State’s “how‐to” guide and hands‐on technical

assistance from the Rapid Response team.  The guide contained a sample job description

and templates to help local staff recruit for the peer support positions and identify effective

candidates.  The guide emphasized these critical steps:  

Identify a selection method:  

Volunteers

Union appointments

Transition Committee selection

Employer selection;

Empower and support Transition Committees to make informed selections of

peer support workers;

Observe candidates in their work environment to identify leadership qualities

and relationships with fellow workers; and

Develop a position description and a formal contract.

In the Amalgamated Sugar project, the State Rapid Response staff representative together

with a union representative used Oregon’s “how‐to” guide to customize a hiring process for

the peer support position.  An available template supplied by the State was used by local

staff to develop a job description

and interview questions.  

Seventeen dislocated workers

expressed interest in applying for

the position.  As part of the

screening process, candidates

were with given a pre‐orientation

“training” to help them fully

understand the responsibilities of

the position.  Ultimately four, two

regular and two alternate, peer

support workers were hired.  

 Survey peers as to satisfaction with services 

being offered 

 Explain and refer peers to appropriate 

services 

 Organize and co-lead weekly job clubs 

 Document contact with peers in participant 

files 

 Attend staff meetings 

Sample Duties for Peer Support Workers 

 Identify and contact fellow workers 

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Hiring Peer Support Workers:  Typically, peer support workers were hired through a short‐

term contract written by the local Workforce Investment Board (WIB) or a project operator.  

Since the majority of outreach and referral services occur at the onset of a dislocation

response, the contracts tend to be of limited duration, one to three months, depending on

the number of workers affected by the layoff.  To establish a rate of pay, grantees considered

the following factors:

Equity relative to others working for the WIB or service provider;

Comparability with wages earned prior to layoff; and

State regulations or policy that may establish the wage.

In Oregon, peer support workers at Amalgamated Sugar and Hewlett‐Packard were hired

by local service providers under short‐term contracts.  According to the policies of the

providers, peer support workers from both companies were paid their previous wages.  The

peer support workers for the Great Northern Paper response were hired through the WIB

and paid at a rate comparable to their wages at the plant.  Because Maine’s Peer Support

Worker program is a mandated initiative under State law, the funds for peer worker salaries

were known from the outset.  The AFL‐CIO then contracted with the local WIB to handle

the payroll for these positions.    

DEPLOYING PEER SUPPORT STAFF 

The overall effectiveness of a NEG project can be impacted by the ability of states and local

areas to respond immediately to provide information and initial services to dislocated

workers.  Peer support workers can help to reach workers in the first critical days and weeks

following a layoff, benefitting the prospects for workers enrolling in NEG services.  Two

critical factors are the ability of peer support workers to access the affected workforce and

be able to reach workers quickly.   

Geographic Reach:  Peer support workers must be deployed in a manner that makes them

readily accessible to all dislocated workers.  Having peer support workers located where

workers will first seek services ultimately benefits NEG enrollment levels and ability to

ramp‐up a project quickly.  In the case of Amalgamated Sugar, fifteen to twenty of the 160

affected workers were living across the border in Idaho; therefore, it was necessary to plan

for peer support across State lines.  Oregon’s Department of Community Colleges and

Workforce Development coordinated with the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor

to station two peer support workers at the nearest Idaho Employment Service office for two

days each week.  The peer support workers also worked with a representative from the

Idaho TAA office to coordinate TAA and NEG program benefits for the workers residing in

Idaho.   

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Most Immediate Needs:  There is a critical window following a layoff in which to reach

dislocated workers to address the immediate need for retraining and job placement.  Peer

support workers can help to maximize the use of NEG services by connecting with as many

workers as possible during this crucial timeframe.  Following the Pillowtex layoff, ten peer

workers were quickly hired soon after the plant closing.  Operating out of the union hall, the

peer support workers mobilized using a previously‐established phone tree and successfully

provided affected workers with consistent, accurate information about benefits and services.

PROVIDING SUPERVISION AND TRAINING 

Peer support workers offer an in‐depth understanding of the workforce, work environment,

and company culture that can be invaluable to fellow workers and staff; however, they are

generally not experienced service providers and can benefit from regular supervision and

training.   

Grantees used two key sources for the supervision and training of peer workers: union

leadership and professional project staff at operating agencies.  The content of the training

varied, but the emphasis in each was on building a basic understanding of key workforce

development and social service resources, including:

Operation of One‐Stop Career Centers;

Dislocated Worker programs;

TAA (where applicable) and Unemployment Insurance (UI);  

Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) benefits for Trade‐impacted workers; and  

Community resources.

Staff from Maine have developed an organized and thorough approach to training peer

support workers.  For example, newly hired peer

support workers in Maine received direct

supervision from the AFL‐CIO Peer Support

Coordinator who spent two days training them

on the One‐ Stop Career Center system, including

the TAA and UI Programs and the Workforce

Investment Act.  An AFL‐CIO/United Way

Community Service Liaison then provided

training on all the community services in the area.  

Managers from the One‐Stop Career Center

arranged for additional training sessions for all

staff, including the peer support workers, on

topics such as the referral procedures used for

domestic violence and mental health services.

“I trained and supervised 

the peer support workers, 

visiting the Center initially 

two days a week and then 

once a month, constantly 

directing them by phone. 

The Center staff would call 

me with any issues I needed 

to address, and we would 

work them out.” 

– Christine Greenleaf

Peer Support Coordinator, 

Maine AFL-CIO

 

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Abt Associates/Workforce Learning Strategies

REEMPLOYMENT THROUGH NEG PROMISING PRACTICES 

The NEG grantees discussed above have materially strengthened their service strategy and

infrastructure by effectively hiring and deploying peer support workers.  A careful

screening and hiring process ensures that peer support workers have the credibility and

temperament needed to effectively reach out to workers whose lives may be in considerable

turmoil.  Effective training and strategic deployment ensures that they are able to work

efficiently within a time sensitive window where workers are most likely to pursue

reemployment services.  Collectively, peer support workers will improve workers’

awareness of NEG resources and their capacity to make informed choices about training,

education, and reemployment services.  More informed decision‐making at the front end

ultimately leads to the improved likelihood that a dislocated worker will select a productive

training and education path that will ultimately result in successful reemployment.  While

many factors contribute to successful outcomes, project staff widely agree that peer support

workers were an important part of the achievement of superior placement rates at

Amalgamated Sugar and Great Northern Paper.  
PEER CONTACTS 

Maine 

Stephen Duval, Director 

Policy and Evaluation Division 

Maine Department of Labor 

(207) 623-7988 

stephen.r.duval@maine.gov 

Christine Greenleaf, Peer Support Coordinator 

Maine AFL-CIO Dislocated Worker Program 

(207) 622-9675 

christine.l.greenleaf@maine.gov 

Judy Holt, Principal Practitioner 

Training Development Corporation 

(207) 564-8196 

jholt@tdc-usa.org 

North Carolina 

Myra Allen Beatty, Workforce Policy Associate 

Special Projects and Community Service 

North Carolina Department of Commerce 

Division of Workforce Development 

(919) 329-5234 

mbeatty@nccommerce.com

Manfred Emmrich, Director, Employment Service 

Employment Security Commission 

(919) 733-7522 x253 

manfred.emmrich@ncmail.net

Oregon 

Karen Humelbaugh, Education and Workforce Systems Director 

Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development 

(503) 378-8648 x226 

karen.humelbaugh@state.or.us

 

Hewlett-Packard 

Sue McGuire-Thompson, Employment Specialist 

Community Services Consortium 

(541) 928-6335 

smcguire@csc.gen.or.us 

Amalgamated Sugar 

Chad Freeman, Business Development Officer 

Oregon Economic and Community Development Department 

(503) 229-5117 

chad.freeman@state.or.us