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Peers In the Workplace: Realizing the Potential

Peers In the Workplace: Realizing the Potential. Darby Penney The Community Consortium, Inc. Clark County Regional Support Network May 14, 2010. Benefits Meaningful job opportunities for peers

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Peers In the Workplace: Realizing the Potential

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  1. Peers In the Workplace: Realizing the Potential Darby Penney The Community Consortium, Inc. Clark County Regional Support Network May 14, 2010

  2. Benefits Meaningful job opportunities for peers Peers bring experiential knowledge of service system; healing and recovery Peers in the Workforce

  3. Peers in the Workforce More benefits: • Model recovery- oriented approach to interacting with service users • Teach non-peer staff how the system disempowers people

  4. Peers in the Workforce Peers can join the mental health workforce as… • Peer support staff in mainstream programs • Advocates or peer support staff in independent, peer-run agencies

  5. What is a “Peer?” Someone who shares an important trait in common with another In this case, someone with a psychiatric history & peer support knowledge working with people receiving mental health services

  6. Peer Support Staff Have a unique role: to provide peer support Are in every other regard to be treated the same as any other worker

  7. Peer Support Is a new discipline with its own code of values and principles

  8. What is Peer Support? Those who’ve walked the same path are best able to understand, support and learn from one another Sharing among a community of equals, rooted in compassion

  9. Principles of Peer Support • Peer support is voluntary • Cannot mandated - people enter into a peer support relationship because they’re interested in connection • Peer support is for people who want it rather than people who “need” it.

  10. Principles of Peer Support • Being non-judgmental • Importance of a non-assessing, non-professional approach • Awareness of own biases and privilege • Honest, direct, respectful communication- open to other views

  11. Principles of Peer Support • Respecting one another • Value differences & unique abilities • Keep people’s confidences • Respect people’s right to make their own decisions, even “wrong” ones

  12. Principles of Peer Support • Reciprocity • The importance of give and take • Re-claiming “help” as a natural process between two or more people

  13. Principles of Peer Support • Mutual responsibility Each person must take responsibility for their actions • Negotiation of “responsibility” • Shared power

  14. Principles of Peer Support • Integrity • Believing in one another • Holding the hope/vision • Building relationships that focus on one another’s well-being

  15. Peers in the workforce are NOT: • Junior case managers • Medication enforcers • The “conscience” of an agency

  16. Peers in the Workforce • Administration and other staff must understand & support the role • Don’t ask peers to do things that violate their values and principles • Peers must be free to express their views without fear of retaliation

  17. Comparison: Peer Specialist & Other Jobs Adapted from New York State Peer Specialist Training Materials

  18. Knowledge/experience: Self-help techniques, group processes, facilitation Consumer/survivor/ex-patient movement goals Mental health/human services systems Rights of service users Peer Specialist Qualifications Adapted from New York State Peer Specialist Training Materials

  19. Peer Specialist Qualifications • Able to engage and empathize based on common experiences • Patient, encouraging, supportive • Able to teach skills • Advocate/negotiate

  20. Peer Specialist Qualifications • Experience as a service user • Two years’ active participation in self-help or advocacy • Interpersonal skills

  21. Peer Specialist Job Duties Developing Personal Growth Skills • Building trust, sharing common experiences • Help users: • explore their support needs • identify specific, individual strategies for coping, healing, growth Adapted from New York State Peer Specialist Training Materials

  22. Peer Specialist Job Duties Teaching, modeling peer support skills • Convene, facilitate self-help groups • Teach self-help techniques and group process skills • Help establish peer support networks, enhance natural supports Adapted from New York State Peer Specialist Training Materials

  23. Peer Specialist Job Duties Teaching advocacy skills • Negotiating bureaucracies • Applying for benefits • Identify, exercise rights • Advocate within systems • Educate providers on peer perspectives Adapted from New York State Peer Specialist Training Materials

  24. Peers in the Workforce Opening new doors: Empowerment, healing and growth for service users AND for the system

  25. Medicaid Rates for Peer SpecialistsNovember 2009 Source: Daniels, Grant, et al. Pillars of Peer Support. The Carter Center, January 2010

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