In Australia, the National Framework for Recovery-Oriented Mental Health Services places lived experience at the heart of recovery. Developing a peer support program and employing peer support workers, however, requires... [ view full abstract ]
In Australia, the National Framework for Recovery-Oriented Mental Health Services places lived experience at the heart of recovery. Developing a peer support program and employing peer support workers, however, requires significant organizational and practice change for existing clinical teams. Many services struggle with effective implementation of peer support programs due to concerns over privacy, language, clinical reporting requirements, professional practice and other issues. South East Melbourne headspace Youth Early Psychosis Program (hYEPP), with Alfred Health as its lead agency, is leading the way in the development and effective implementation of a youth peer support program. This paper reports on the findings of a research and evaluation project designed to provide a robust evidence base for the future development and roll out of peer support services across a range of mental health settings, especially youth focused settings.
Research suggests that when peer support workers are properly selected, trained and supported, they can improve the quality of services at no extra cost and possibly even with cost reductions. hYEPP has recruited four youth peer support workers, who have completed training in Youth Mental Health First Aid, Introduction to Peer work and five day Intentional Peer Support training. The service has a robust support system for youth peer workers in place and has done a lot of ground work to prepare clinical staff to work effectively with youth peer workers. Our research and evaluation project was developed to collect data about the implementation of youth peer support over the critical introductory period, examining staff attitudes, barriers and enablers to implementation, the experiences of the youth peer workers and outcomes for young people.
Evidence compiled through this research project will enable us to provide an effective model of peer support that can translate to other mental health services and peer support services throughout Victoria.
