In 2019 Western Australia Country Health Service (WACHS) initiated a Mental Health peer support program in two regional trial sites. Goldfields Mental Health Service enthusiastically volunteered as one site, to continue its consumer engagement focus, and was allocated funding for two Peer Support Workers. In hindsight there was much that we had to learn. This presentation will highlight the importance of peer work and provide insight about the lessons learnt from a management perspective, and more importantly, that of a peer worker who was part of the pilot program.
The first key learning will highlight the difference between peer workers and support workers. This key learning will focus on service readiness and what is needed before employing peer workers. This includes peer workers having a recovery focus and an emphasis on person centred care and will discuss the rationale behind employing peer workers and the importance of these roles.
Another key learning is the importance of the professional relationships between peer workers and clinicians and the need for dual respect. This will touch on the value of a peer worker having supervision, both peer and clinical supervision. The concept of peer drift will be discussed, as this is a common issue for peer workers in a clinical environment.
The third key learning will focus on role definition and the importance of having defined job descriptions and tasks that are specific to a peer worker while allowing peer workers to work to their strengths. The importance of understanding that each peer worker is unique and will therefore have different strengths and capabilities, will be highlighted. The need for career pathways for peer workers will be discussed as it is important that peer workers can continue growing into other peer focused roles or different roles within the organisation that they work for.