— Foundational / Seminal Work

The Mental Health Peer Workforce (MHPW) study was completed in September 2013. The study included a range of information-gathering activities, including site visits and interviews to compile case studies of peer workers from around Australia; a literature scan; and an online survey of mental health peer workers. Peer workers are people who have lived experience of mental illness, often directly, or within their family, and are employed specifically to share this experience and knowledge to help other people and families experiencing mental ill-health. Peer workers are employed around the country, but in a range of different ways. Roles may include peer support, advocacy, health promotion, coordination or education. Peer workers may be employed in outreach services, inpatient units, day programs, and telephone services, amongst other service types. Currently, the peer workforce in Australia appears to be small, and often there is a lack of role clarity and workplace supports for these workers. The MHPW study proposes a more systematic approach to the adoption of the mental health peer workforce, for example through the establishment of National Mental Health Peer Workforce Development Guidelines.

The National Mental Health Consumer & Carer Forum (NMHCCF) has a vision of mental health services that assist mental health consumers and carers to identify their own needs and work with them in an equal partnership towards recovery. Mental health services will take a holistic view of the lives of consumers and carers to achieve agreed recovery aims. These services will work with the range of other available supports such as services for physical health, housing, employment and day to day living. They will listen to individual stories and be respectful of individual needs and if they do not know how to respond, they will seek assistance from mental health consumer and carer identified workers who are experts in this area. They will be able to do this because mental health consumer and carer identified workers will be working as part of crisis assessment and treatment teams, inpatient units, mobile support and treatment teams and in home based outreach.

The primary purpose of this paper is to provide background context, considerations and principles for implementing a workforce strategy for the employment of people with lived experience of mental health issues (from herein referred to as ‘lived experience’) and recovery in RichmondPRA. Prior to the merger of PRA and Richmond Fellowship of NSW (July 2012) both organizations had committed to recruitment and employment strategies that would actively promote employment opportunities for people with ‘lived experience’. Our new organization states renewed commitment to ensuring that RichmondPRA becomes a sector leader in this and that we will become the ‘employer of choice’ for those with lived experience.

This paper points out that agreement on the “philosophy” which underpins employment of those with lived experience in our workforce is pivotal as a starting point. This provides guiding principles for development of additional policies and protocols around employment of people with lived experience in a full range of roles.