Chronic Illness Peer Support (ChIPS) program

The Chronic Illness Peer Support (ChIPS) Program is a dynamic, supportive program designed to connect young people aged 12 to 25 who are living with chronic illnesses.

The program focuses on building friendships, sharing experiences, and offering support in a fun, interactive environment.

ChIPS is run through the Department of Adolescent Medicine at Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) and has been generously funded by the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation and the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation. It is open to young people across Perth and regional WA.

What is ChIPS?

ChIPS offers a unique opportunity for young people living with chronic illnesses to connect with others who understand their experiences.

Through a range of group activities, social events, and leadership opportunities, ChIPS helps participants build confidence, friendships, and valuable life skills.

A video representing the ChIPS program which has been running at the Royal Children’s Hospital for over 25 years is below.

For more detailed referral criteria and to find out if the program is suitable for your young person, please contact the ChIPS office via email at pch.chips@health.wa.gov.au

ChIPS offers

Group peer support intake programs: 1-day intensives and 6-week groups

Intensive group participants come together for a 1-day group session using music, art, games and discussions to delve into the experiences of living with a chronic illness. The multi-week group participants employ the same creative methods and convene weekly for 1.5 hours across 6-weeks. Each group consists of around 6 to 10 participants and is led and facilitated by ChIPS staff alongside senior ChIPS members.

Topics are participant directed and can include:

• Missing out, limitations and judgements
• Relationships, sharing and boundaries
• Group values and self-care.

One ChIPS member said this about their experience of the ChIPS intake program:

"I thought that the eight-week group was a great opportunity to open up to people other than your friends and family. At first, I wasn't sure about what I should expose about myself, but then I got more confident and realised that they felt the same way about it. I was able to talk to them about pretty much anything."

Socials

ChIPS members get together for socials approximately 6-10 times per year, usually weekdays during school holidays or Saturday during school term. The socials are organised by the young people in the program, so they get to choose what they are most interested in doing. Some examples of these activities include escape rooms, mini golf, cooking classes, movie outings, circus skills training, bowling, and game and pizza nights. The socials are tailored to meet the needs and abilities of the participants.

Camps

The yearly camps, held over 3-days and 2-nights, feature a variety of activities in a safe, supportive, and inclusive setting. Activities may include archery, high ropes, kayaking, art, and drama.

Clinical staff, along with ChIPS staff, will be present to ensure campers receive the best possible support.

Leadership and youth development

ChIPS offers young people the chance to develop leadership skills through training in areas like communication, team building, public speaking, and more. This is a great way to gain confidence and learn skills that can be used in all areas of life.

Peer leaders play a key role in the ChIPS program, helping to facilitate groups, activities, and events. Peer leaders have the chance to mentor other and develop leadership skills.

How to get involved

The first step to becoming involved in ChIPS is for the referring medical staff to complete an e-referral for the young person interested in the program. This can be completed by Department of Health staff using the online e-Referral platform.

For self-referral or if you are unable to access the e-Referral platform, email us at pch.chips@health.wa.gov.au with the subject 'ChIPS referral' and we will contact your medical team.

Once ChIPS staff have received your referral it will be assessed by the team who will contact you to discuss your interest in and suitability for the program.

For more information about the ChIPS program please contact:

Email: pch.chips@health.wa.gov.au
Phone: 0484 311 702 

Join the ChIPS community today

Proudly funded by: