Organisation Name: Together for Mental Wellbeing - Reading Resource Centre Contact name: Cath Cooper Job title: Employment Co-ordinator Email: readingresource-employment@together-uk.org Telephone contact: 0118 9580722
We found that our service users (members) were supporting each other out
of hours, often resulting in both parties feeling or becoming more
vulnerable. In order to address this, in 2003 Resource formed a
partnership with the local NHS Trust and Thames Valley University to
develop the Peer Support programme. Initially, some funding was on offer
from Reading Borough Council. Latterly the project has found funding
via its general budget plus a donation.
The 8 week part time course
provides mental health service users with knowledge and a framework to
work within, plus the skills and confidence necessary to offer effective
support to their peers.
Participants are taught basic counselling
skills, confidentiality, mental illness & therapies, safety,
signposting to services and the limitations of the role. The course is
accredited by Open College Network (2 credits at level 2).
Once
qualified, Peer Supporters may be offered paid sessional employment
within the Centre. The original intention was that the Mental Health
Trust would also offer employment and pay for an out of hours phone
service manned by peer support workers, but this never materialised.
Peer Support Workers offer support in a variety of ways, for example:
running support or activity groups; 1 to 1 sessions with people in
distress; supporting members to attend appointments or to go to social
events; helping members raise issues in meetings.
The Peer Support Worker training course is provided by ‘Together for Mental Wellbeing' at Reading Resource Centre, from 2009 in partnership with New Directions, a local FE provider.
What have been the benefits for individual service users (and others) accessing your project?
In the last 7 years over 50 people have completed the course and many of the former trainees have now progressed to full time work or training.
The programme therefore benefits the service (via the special contribution our member workers make to the staff team); the Peer Support Workers (who gain new skills and insights as well as a qualification, increased self confidence and a job); and not least ourservice users (supported by their peers).
Are you considering any future developments in response to the ‘Personalisation' agenda?
We have no definite plans at present. However, we would like to investigate how service users could pay Peer Support Workers out of their personal budgets and whether it would be feasible for the Centre to ‘broker' such arrangements.
Key terms - training, peer support, personal budgets