Why not a peer worker?
| Pages | 176-183 |
| Published date | 12 June 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-03-2017-0018 |
| Date | 12 June 2017 |
| Author | Fay Jackson,Tim Fong |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Why not a peer worker?
Fay Jackson and Tim Fong
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to provide a perspective on peer work and insights from Flourish
Australia’s journey in growing a thriving peer workforce. Flourish Australia is a large not-for-profit organisation
that has been supporting people with their recovery journeys for over 60 years. The organisation provides,
predominantly, non-clinical community-based support to enable people who live with a mental health issue
and/or psychosocial disabilities to lead contributing lives in their community.
Design/methodology/approach –Flourish Australia developed and implemented a number of strategic
directives in order to support the growth of a peer workforce. Central to these directives were policy
positions that encourag ed a shared understanding of th e value and contribution th at people with a lived
experience of a mental health issue add to an organisation. From this policy foundation, the Why Not a Peer
Worker? strategy and Transformation Peer Worker strategy were implemented and embraced by hiring
managers across the organisation.
Findings –The “Why Not a Peer Worker?”campaign, coupled with the Transformation Peer Worker
strategy, resulted in an increase in Flourish Australia’s peer workforce of almost 600 per cent over an
18-month period to now number 145 positions.
Research limitations/implications –This paper provides organisations who are seeking to develop or
grow their peer workforce with practical ideas that have been successfully implemented by Flourish Australia
that can be discussed and debated when developing a peer workforce.
Originality/value –This paper provides unique insights into Flourish Australia’s peer workforce journey.
Keywords Mental health, Recovery, Lived experience, Human resources, Mental illness,
Transformational change, Peer workforce, Peer work, Peer worker, Mental health issue,
Recovery journey, Recovery Action Framework
Paper type Case study
Peer work
In the past, peer work has been viewed by many as being little more than conversations and
coffee shared between two people who have experienced a mental health issue. Peer work is
much more than this, but even on this level there has been little recognition of the strong value of
this connection, sharing and conversation.
Arguably, peer work has also been thought of as an unskilled profession; a role with low or little
expectation or validity; and one that is not required to perform to a professional standard.
In some instances, peer work has been seen as work that people do and do not get paid for, or is
disguised within another role.
Peer workhas proven its worthto people who accessservices, carersand families, to organisations
and services, clinical and non-clinical staff alike, and to funders and decision makers. There is now a
growing empirical evidence base that is reinforcing the efficacy and impact of peer work (Repper
and Carter, 2011; Repper et al.,2013).
In Flourish Australia, peer work has played a vital role engaging with people accessing mental
health programmes, staff and other support services. By drawing on lived experience of a mental
health issue, peer workers are able to build respectful, professional, and appropriate
relationships that are based on mutuality, reciprocity, and above all, hope.
We have found that peer work offers many advantages to the person receiving the support.
Having a shared identity and acceptance, increasing emotional resilience, the development of
Fay Jackson and Tim Fong
are both based at Flourish
Australia, Sydney, Australia.
PAGE176
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MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
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VOL. 21 NO. 3 2017, pp. 176-183, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-03-2017-0018
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