Accessibility Tools
What should be done and how it can be done.
This document sits alongside The Competence Framework for Mental Health Peer Support Workers – Full Listing of the Competences (referred to as ‘the Competence Framework for MH PSWs’). It includes the story of peer support and its evolution from a ‘grass roots’ social movement to the present time.
Today, we know that people who bring their own experience of mental health difficulties to supporting other people facing similar challenges have a unique and important contribution to make in statutory services. While the relational basis of the work remains at its core, we also know that peer support work continues to develop and is not static, and that it will keep changing and progressing. In developing the framework itself and this supporting document, the project team have tried to reflect the wide diversity of opinion about the nature of the MH PSW role. They have aimed to produce a framework that does justice to what some people refer to as ‘the magic’ of peer support, at the same time as making clear the expectations of MH PSWs and the organisations for which they work. It is intended to apply to MH PSWs working in mental health services, but may be helpful to other settings in which PSWs have a contribution to make.
There have been a number of studies undertaken about the Lived Experience Workforce. Within Australia, the Health Workforce Australia Mental Health Peer Workforce Study is a useful link for organisations embarking on employing Lived Experience Workforce. It is critical that as NGOs we seek to understand, support and celebrate the Lived Experience Workforce from diverse backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Gender and Sexually Diverse (LGBTIQ), youth, older people and others who live outside the dominant culture of our society.
In order to honour and celebrate the unique experiences and strengths of this workforce, we have participated in a codesign process with cultural representatives from the Lived Experience Workforce to develop Standards and Guidelines that have meaning to LEWs from diverse backgrounds.1 By doing this, we contribute to ongoing de-stigmatising of the workplace, embedding an open and mindful culture and going beyond rhetoric to the type of organisation we all want to work for: one that sets high standards and supports staff to get there.
LEWP would like to acknowledge the people who helped us “filter” the Standards and Guidelines for LGBTIQ community, CALD communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Mental Health Council of Tasmania (MHCT) undertook a consultation process to provide an opportunity for consumers, families, friends and carers, the mental health sector and interested stakeholders, to have input into the development of this strategy and the key issues to be addressed. MHCT partnered with Flourish Mental Health Action in Our Hands Inc (Flourish) and Mental Health Families & Friends Tasmania (MHFF) to consult with their respective consumer and family, friend and carer networks.
The aims of these consultations were to understand current practice, determine workforce gaps and needs, identify challenges and opportunities and consider potential solutions to address them. A person-focussed vision statement, underpinned by guiding principles and values, was developed through these consultations. The strategy vision is to “grow a professional peer workforce in Tasmania that promotes both recovery for consumers and appropriate supports for families and friends, resulting in better outcomes in their mental health journeys.” While there is significant value in integrating and expanding peer work roles, there are a range of factors and considerations that must be addressed in order to successfully grow and sustain a peer workforce. The Peer Workforce Development Strategy identifies six priority areas to support the development of the peer workforce in Tasmania:
The intention is for the Strategy for the consumer mental health workforce in Victoria (the Strategy) to support resourcing and planning for consumer workforce training and development over the coming years. Initiatives from the Strategy will require consumer leadership in collaboration with other partners, with aspects of the Strategy requiring government investment and other organisational support to implement.
The Strategy will assist policy developers, funders, consumer workers and their employers, and will be useful for organisations planning to employ consumer workers. It describes the required activity needed to adequately support and develop the workforce and should be carried out in partnership and with leadership from consumer workers.
Globally, health care systems stakeholders have encouraged health systems change that reflects recovery oriented practice. The implementation and integration of Peer Support Workers is one such strategy. Yet, what factors should be considered in the implementation of these roles?
How can services be integrated effectively? Recent literature will be reviewed to explore current knowledge about peer support, and offer considerations for effective implementation of peer supports into current health care systems.
The National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum and the National Primary Health Network Mental Health Lived Experience Engagement Network acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters on which we work and live on across Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.
“A lived experience recognises the effects of ongoing negative historical impacts and or specific events on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It encompasses the cultural, spiritual, physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of the individual, family or community.
“People with lived or living experience of suicide are those who have experienced suicidal thoughts, survived a suicide attempt, cared for someone through a suicidal crisis, been bereaved by suicide or having a loved one who has died by suicide, acknowledging that this experience is significantly different and takes into consideration Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ways of understanding social and emotional wellbeing.” - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre
We welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to this site and invite them to provide any feedback or items for inclusion.
We also recognise people with lived and living experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who are carers, families, kin, or supporters.