I have just finished my peer supporter training, and our course leader who is the local breastfeeding support co-ordinator (BSC) has informed us that we have been allocated a large sum of money specifically for the peer supporter programme.
There is already money in the budget to cover our expenses such as travel costs and child care, so she is in a quandry about what to spend it on, but she is aware that in some areas local peer supporter have set up as a business charging the trust a fee for their services, as we cannot be paid as volunteers (I presume because otherwise we'd have to be classed as employees).
Is there anyone here who has experience of this who can give me some advice about how to set this up? I think the main paid for service we'd be providing is one-to-one support for mums to who we have been referred by the BFS. I've done some investigating and I guess we'd be looking into setting up a not for profit or charitable organisation.
There are about 12 of us at the moment who will be doing this, and we would be working together (we'd be sharing a mobile phone to offer an out of hours listening service as well, taking turns with the phone).
Thanks in advance.