The Power of Peer Groups: Strengthening Project Success Through Community Support
It’s 7am on a Saturday, and you’ll find Julie Alepere with a team of GOALIE Case Managers loading up vans with the usual clinical trial supplies -medications, delivery tools and patient forms. But look more closely and you’ll also see cases of juice, boxes of biscuits and overflowing bins of balls, toys and puzzles. Each Saturday, Julie leads a rotating series of Peer Groups for the GOALIE Trial. During the peer groups, participants and their families come together for medication disbursements, health education and checks, and fun activities to provide support and engagement for the trial participants.
Julie, Lead Community Coordinator for the GOALIE trial, has been a dedicated advocate for community-based initiatives long before her time with RRCU began with the GOAL Trial in 2018. Before that, she was a community teacher. Through her work with RRCU, Julie has transferred her devotion to supporting children and communities from the classroom to a clinical research setting and has helped shape RRCU’s best practices in engaging communities, participants, and their families.
"I am so passionate about organizing and coordinating events. The fact that I can utilize my passions in my job to help children, their families, and my community in such a substantial way is one of my favorite parts of my job."
-Julie Alepere
As the Lead Community Coordinator, Julie played a critical role in mapping appropriate peer group locations, designing peer group activities, preparing educational content, and supervising the Case Managers assigned to each group. Her efforts have helped create an environment where Peer Groups thrive, fostering collaboration, support and engagement among participants. US-based program coordinator for the GOALIE trial, Alison Spaziani attended a peer group during her trip to Uganda in March 2024:
“Seeing Julie and the GOALIE team in action, organizing, coordinating, and interacting with participants and their families so easily, speaks to their hard work and dedication.”
The Role of Peer Groups in Project Success and Supporting Patients
Peer groups are a cornerstone of project implementation, particularly in initiatives like GOALIE, which require participants to engage with the study staff and collect medications at least monthly. In addition to the logistical infrastructure they provide, they also bring together RHD patients, creating a safe space for participants to share, connect, and uplift one another. These groups provide a strong foundation for project activities by:
Providing Emotional and Social Support – Participants feel seen, heard, and understood within their peer groups, which fosters emotional well-being and reduces feelings of isolation1.
Improving Treatment Adherence – In Uganda, past RRCU projects have shown that the peer group model significantly improves trial retention and adherence to treatment, as the regular engagement becomes a routine part of life and members and staff encourage and remind each other to stay on track. The GOAL trial achieved a 98.8% adherence rate1.
Serving as a Central Hub for Activities – Peer groups provide a designated space where project-related activities can occur efficiently, creating a structured yet flexible setting for both staff and participants.
Building Community Trust and Engagement – By facilitating open dialogue between participants, their families, and study staff, peer groups strengthen trust and enhance participation in research and treatment programs.
"Most children look forward to peer groups because they get to participate in fun activities and meet new friends."
- Julie Alepere
Extending Beyond Participants to Families and Communities
Beyond benefiting participants, peer groups also engage parents and community members. At the Peer Groups, the research team offers general health education and provides a forum where families can express their thoughts and ideas with study staff. Community members are also invited to attend specific sessions, engaging in dialogues with staff and families about community health and the RHD patient experience. This two-way communication strengthens relationships and allows researchers and medical professionals to better understand the needs of the families and communities they serve.
With strong peer group models in place, projects like GOALIE don’t just meet their scientific objectives, they change lives and empower communities.
(1) Learn more about the GOAL trial